Library News
Spring Book Sale
Posted on March 22nd, 2019
Booth Library will host its Spring Book Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 10 outside the south entrance of the library.
A large selection of books in all subject areas and hundreds of paperback fiction titles will be available for purchase. No patrons will be allowed to browse or purchase items prior to the 9 a.m. start time.
All items have been donated by the campus and local communities. The proceeds from the sale are used to enhance library programs and services.
In case of inclement weather, the sale will be postponed. For the latest information on scheduling, check the library website, www.library.eiu.edu, or find Booth Library on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Play with your food! Enter our Edible Book Festival!
Posted on March 22nd, 2019
Booth Library will sponsor its ninth annual Edible Book Festival on April 8 as part of National Library Week.
Anyone in the community may enter a work made out of edible materials that has something to do with books in either its shape or content. The artwork will not be eaten. To view entries from last year’s competition, go to https://thekeep.eiu.edu/ediblebook_2018/.
Participants may design an entry on any topic. Those interested, but unsure where to begin, are welcome to try the “Theme Challenge.” This year’s ingredient theme is “apple,” and the genre theme is “mystery.” The theme challenge is intended as a starting point to inspire ideas and creativity; participation is optional.
This year’s festival will be an all-day event. Entries will be set up in the Marvin Foyer between 8 and 9 a.m. (If you are unable to deliver your entry during that hour, please contact ekcorrigan@eiu.edu.to make alternate arrangements). They will be on display for public viewing starting at 9 a.m., with voting until 4:30 p.m.
A reception with light refreshments will begin at 4 p.m., with the award winners announced at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
All edible book entries are eligible to win one of two best-in-show prizes, one determined by a jury and the other by popular vote of the festival attendees. The winners for each best-in-show entry will receive a $50 gift card. Honorable mentions also will be awarded.
The registration form for this year’s festival is available online at https://library.eiu.edu/exhibits/edible-book/; the deadline to enter is April 5.
Questions about the Edible Book Festival may be directed to event organizer Ellen Corrigan at ekcorrigan@eiu.edu.
HeinOnline databases now available year-round!
Posted on March 22nd, 2019
Following feedback from our recent database trial, HeinOnline Academic has been added to Booth Library’s list of available databases.
HeinOnline Academic (previously known as HeinOnline’s Government, Politics, and Law) is a collection of databases comprised of more than 100 million pages of content, covering political science, criminal justice, world history, civil and human rights, and more. It provides access to more than 300 years of information, covering political development and the complete history of the creation of government and legal systems around the world.
Databases include the following:
- U.S. Congressional Documents
- Foreign Relations of the United States
- World Constitutions Illustrated
- Religion & the Law
- United States Code
- Law Journal Library
- History of International Law
- Treaties and Agreements
- Legal Classics
- U.S. Supreme Court Library
For more information, please contact your subject librarian or call the library reference desk at 581-6072. You can also learn more about navigating the database by watching the informational video below:
Booth Library adds 2,230 items
Posted on March 21st, 2019
During the last three months, Booth Library acquired and cataloged 2,230 new items. The lists can be viewed here:
These acquisitions include donations to the library, re-cataloged library items, freely available government publications, and consortium-wide purchases.
The list is arranged by location: Ballenger Teachers Center, Books, Electronic Resources, Illinois and Federal Documents, Maps, Media, Reference Collection, Special Collections and University Archives. The titles are listed by call number within each location. Please contact Sarah Johnson, head of Collection Development, at 581-7551 or sljohnson2@eiu.edu if you have questions.
Exhibit celebrates space exploration
Posted on March 15th, 2019
Booth Library will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, as well as examine current and future space exploration, in a new exhibit, “On the Shoulders of Giants: The Moon and Beyond.” The exhibit will be on display from Jan. 17 through May 31, 2019.
“On the Shoulders of Giants” will include a look at several of the Apollo missions, with a focus on Apollo 11, the lunar landing of July 20, 1969; EIU alumni connections to the space program; biographies of specific astronauts; space exploration today and in the future; female contributions to space exploration; and more.
The exhibit is free and open to the public.
For more information, visit the exhibit web site here, or follow Booth Library on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Schools and other groups who would like to tour the exhibit are encouraged to contact Andy Cougill, aacougill@eiu.edu, or call 217-581-7548 to schedule a visit.
Is it credible or not? Where do you get your news?
Posted on March 8th, 2019
American Tobacco Company [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Despite the fact that more Americans are acknowledging the presence of false information surrounding current affairs, this has not stopped misinformation from being read and shared through social media. A December 2016 survey by the Pew Research Center suggests that 23 percent of U.S. adults have shared fake news, knowingly or unknowingly, with friends and others.
The term “fake news”–or “false news,” as Facebook prefers to refer to it due to the political context of the former–has in the past referred to news satire or parody; however, according to Science magazine, in recent years, it has come to be defined primarily as fabricated information that mimics news media content in form but not in organizational process or intent. These false outlets lack the news media’s editorial norms and processes for ensuring the accuracy and credibility of information, instead opting to spread misinformation (false or misleading information) and/or disinformation (false information that is purposely spread to deceive people).
Fake news has drawn recent attention in a political context, but it has also promulgated misinformation about topics such as vaccination, nutrition, and stock values. In today’s often combative environment, the most important thing to remember is that fake news is not news you disagree with.
Recently, Booth Library received several newly published volumes of the series Opposing Viewpoints that touch upon these current issues and explore varying opinions in a balanced pros/cons debate. The series attempts to encourage critical thinking and issue awareness by providing opposing views on contentious issues. Below you can find a description of each title, as well as a list of fact-checking websites and browser plug-ins to help recognize false information and prevent it from further polluting our society.
- Media Bias/Fact Check
- FactCheck.org
- Politifact
- Snopes.com
- Washington Post Fact Checker
- Hoaxy
- BS Detector (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
- Fake News Alert (Chrome)
- This is Fake (Chrome, for Facebook feed)
Hacking and Freedom of Information:
We know there are white hat hackers and black hat hackers, but what about the gray area in between? Some hackers consider themselves activists and have justified their cyberattacks on media, political figures, universities, and even governments as a search for truth. Is information indeed free in a democracy? Does uncovering secrets that the public may have a right to know justify security breaches? Are WikiLeaks and the Anonymous group providing an important service to citizens, or are they traitors? Through a progression of authoritative viewpoints, readers will learn that there are no easy answers to this debate.
Every time we check our feeds we create safety bubbles around ourselves. Thanks to technological algorithms, we are living an increasingly narrow existence, one in which the news we read, the products we purchase, and the people we interact with are tailor-made for each of us. We might feel informed and comfortable, but are we isolating ourselves from anything outside our bubble? Are online filters just an efficient way to connect, or do they spell the end of democracy? Anyone who reads this book will understand the potential dangers of a society whose assumptions are never challenged.
Politics and Journalism in a Post-Truth World:
Fake news. Alternative facts. Even before those terms were coined, we had already moved to a post-truth reality. Due to a number of driving forces, we have evolved into a society that values emotion and personal belief more than it does objective facts. More Americans are willing to believe false stories as long as they match up with their own personal and political beliefs. How will this affect our elections, journalistic standards, and news habits? Can we ever go back? The diverse viewpoints in this volume attempt to explain and predict the state of our union.
The Fifth Estate: Extreme Viewpoints from Alternative Media:
The influence of what is known as The Fifth Estate, which is viewpoints and journalism generated outside of the mainstream press, has risen thanks to the emergence of blogs and social media. How effective are these alternate sources in raising public consciousness, changing government policy, and stirring grassroots movements? Are they held to the same standards as mainstream journalism? In this age of fake news, WikiLeaks, and the president’s so-called war on the press, readers will find the varied and provocative viewpoints that are explained in this book incredibly relevant and enlightening.
Is a free and open internet a hallmark of democracy? Net neutrality advocates are fighting for government regulation and protection of this relatively new frontier. They believe that the internet is now a basic human need and argue that defined rules are essential to the protection of customers and to the encouragement of innovation. Detractors worry that too much government oversight discourages innovation and investment. The viewpoints in this informative anthology are written by experts with a variety of perspectives about a complex topic that encompasses many fields, including technology, business, and the Constitution.
Source:
Mitchell, A., Barthel, M., & Holcomb, J. (2016, December 15). Many Americans Believe Fake News Is Sowing Confusion. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.org/2016/12/15/many-americans-believe-fake-news-is-sowing-confusion/
