Archives for November 2019

The Finals Countdown

We’re nearly there!  The final exams for Fall 2019 are on their way, and the Ross Pendergraft Library is here for you with 24-hour service, starting 7:00 AM on Wednesday, Dec. 4th, until 6:00 PM Friday, Dec. 6th.

Gif of hair bad singing finals countdown

Come by in the late, late hours for free coffee and moderately-priced printing.    We also have all the friendly services you’ve come to know and love:

You can also stay up and on top of all the news in the library by following us on Twitter (#ATUFinals)/ Facebook / Instagram.

Don’t forget, we are closed this Thursday, Nov. 28th through Saturday, Nov. 30th for the Thanksgiving holidays.  We will open again on Sunday at 1:00 PM.  The full schedule is below:

full schedule of special hours for Fall 2019

Good Luck on Finals!

POSTPONED UNTIL NOV. 18 – Hipbillies: Deep Revolution in the Arkansas Ozarks

Join us on Monday, November 18th, at 7:00 pm in RPL 300A as we welcome Dr. Jared M. Phillips, professor at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, who will discuss his recent book, Hipbillies: Deep Revolution in the Arkansas Ozarks. 

book cover of Hipbillies, featuring an embroidered sunsetCounterculture flourished nationwide in the 1960s and 1970s, and while the hippies of Haight–Ashbury occupied the public eye, a faction of back to the landers were quietly creating their own haven off the beaten path in the Arkansas Ozarks.  Hipbillies combines oral histories and archival resources to weave the story of the Ozarks and its population of country beatniks into the national narrative, showing how the back to the landers engaged in “deep revolution” by sharing their ideas on rural development, small farm economy, and education with the locals—and how they became a fascinating part of a traditional region’s coming to terms with the modern world in the process.

If you have an interest in hippies, hillbillies, environmental activism, solar energy, farmer’s markets, or the history of the Ozarks, you don’t want to miss this talk.  Read more about Hipbillies in this article from the Arkansas Times or check out a copy from the Ross Pendergraft Library.

Photo of Jared PhillipsJared Phillips is an assistant professor of international studies at the University of Arkansas and specializes in the history of U.S. foreign policy and U.S.-Sino relations in the late twentieth century.  He lives and works on a small farm outside of Prairie Grove.

This event is part of the Second Monday Author Series, featuring local authors from the university, region, or state. Copies of Hipbillies will be available for purchase.

For more information (479) 964-0546 or http://library.atu.edu. This event is free and accessible to the public.

Desserts and Databases

This Friday, November 1st, from 3:00-3:30 in RCB 147, join us for a quick demonstration of the library’s latest database for statistics and data visualization: Sage State and Local Stats.  Cookies will be provided.

SAGE State and Local Stats is a data download and visualization tool hosting social science data about U.S. States, counties, cities, and metropolitan statistical areas from more than 600 data series, including governmental and non-governmental sources.  It spans topics like employment, crime, religion, and education.

Screnshot of open page of Sage Stats with graph of internet access and poverty

This tool is best for any research paper or classroom when you need to examine statistics across time, location, and across other data sets.

To begin using Sage Stats, search by keyword at the top or browse by topic, location, or zip code.   Let’s say you are interested in the percent of population with a Bachelor’s Degree or more by state:

Map from Sage Stats showing the U.S. States and percentages of people with Bachelor's Degrees.

You can switch between Map, Table, or Chart view:

A line chart comparing the percentage of people with degrees in Arkansas compared to national average, over the last 15 years.

You can then add more data to your charts, compare data with other states or other data series with a scatter plot.  In this example, we have compared the above data with Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of each sample:

A scatter chart comparing percent of population with Bachelor's Degree or More and adjusted gross income of the state.

At any point, you can export your data as an image, an excel or CSV file, or as a Data Guide Powerpoint slide or PDF:

Screenshot showing how to export data from the chart as an image, as a data file, as a data guide, or to save the series to the export center to export more than one year at a time.

Users can also cite the source of data in APA, MLA, Bluebook, or Chicago, and export this into a citation manager:

Screenshot showing citation window, where one could cite data chart in APA or MLA or other citation styles

All of the data in SAGE stats is available for download so you can manipulate it however you want. With over 606 data-series in a variety of categories, there’s enough to satisfy any data analysis appetite. 

For more questions about SAGE Stats or to find out if oatmeal cookies should really be considered a cookie, ask us at askus@atu.libanswers.com.  Otherwise, join us for cookies and databases this Friday!