Monday, November 25, 2013

Library Closed for Thanksgiving Holidays

Carmichael Library will close on Tuesday, November 26 at 2:00 p.m. for the Thanksgiving holidays. The library will reopen on Sunday, December 1 from 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.  Normal hours resume on Monday, December 2 at 8:00 a.m.

Extended late night final exam hours will be posted next week. Have a safe and restful Thanksgiving holiday!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Meet the (Virtual) Reference Books: Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Men and Women in the World's Cultures

Meet the Reference Books introduces noteworthy encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference materials in Carmichael Library's print and digital collections. Blog posts are contributed by Reference Student Assistants.  The first round of books this semester comes from our Virtual Reference Shelf.  

This post is written by John Wilson, a sophomore marketing major.  John introduces the
Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Men and Women in the World's Cultures.  

Just reading the title of this encyclopedia, one might conclude that this is a publication based literally on sex (so did I at first).  But it’s much deeper than just sex. The main purpose of this encyclopedia is to compare different gender issues in society affecting men and women all across the world.

Covering everything from gender stereotypes, to adolescence, to marriage customs in Japan or how homosexuality is viewed in Africa, this encyclopedia is a fully equipped “go to” reference publication for any scholar interested in dabbling in gender studies or learning about male and female interactions in other cultures.

-John Wilson

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Meet the (Virtual) Reference Books: Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins

Meet the Reference Books introduces noteworthy encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference materials in Carmichael Library's print and digital collections. Blog posts are contributed by Reference Student Assistants.  The first round of books this semester comes from our Virtual Reference Shelf.  

This post is written by Cassie Wallace, a senior accounting major.  Cassie introduces the Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins.  

How did the word “abracadabra” come about? Did you even know this was a real word and not just some babble that came off the top of some famous magician’s head? In fact, this term was once used as a charm against fever in the late seventeenth century and was first recorded in an ancient Latin poem around the second century. Words and phrases with histories such as this are in abundance in the modern English language and the meanings and concepts behind them change every day. The Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins makes delving into intriguing information about the language around us a cinch!

In what way could we expect to predict the changes that will be made in the future if we do not first research what differentiations we have from the past? The desire to find out where the wide variety of words in the English language comes from is not a new one and is more easily quenched than you may have realized! In the Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins you will find that much of the work required to ensure the accuracy of the information has already been done for you. This publication is a great place to answer the questions you have been asking for years about things like “What was someone thinking when they named an insect after butter?” or “Who decided that the word pterodactyl needed a ‘p’?”  These questions and many more are discussed in the Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins.

How can you access this wonderful source of wisdom? I am so glad you asked. The Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins is available through the Virtual Reference Shelf any time of day or night on the University of Montevallo’s Carmichael Library website under the subject heading, “Language and Literature Reference Sources.” Have fun!

-Cassie Wallace

Monday, November 11, 2013

Meet the (Virtual) Reference Books: The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine

Meet the Reference Books introduces noteworthy encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference materials in Carmichael Library's print and digital collections. Blog posts are contributed by Reference Student Assistants.  The first round of books this semester comes from our Virtual Reference Shelf.  

This post is written by Jasmyn Walker, a sophomore biochemistry major.  Jasmyn introduces the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine.  

If you are anything like me, at the first sign of pain you quickly type your symptoms into the WebMD search bar only to find that you are deathly ill with only months left to live (and that there happens to be a sale on Oreo’s at Wal-Mart). However, after hours of fretting over who will get all of your belongings, you realize that all you have is a common cold. (Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us!) The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine is the holy grail for self-diagnosing doctors everywhere.

This encyclopedia includes medical disorders and concepts with an in-depth discussion of causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, procedures, and other related topics. This book was published in 2006, so all the information is pretty up-to-date with modern medical information. While this encyclopedia is great for people who like to diagnose themselves, it is perfect for those with medical-related majors, such as Pre-Med, Pre-Pharmacy, or Pre-Dentistry.

I even picked up a few things myself. For example, the common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system including the nose, throat, sinuses, Eustachian tubes, trachea, larynx, and bronchial tubes.  Luckily, most colds clear up on their own without complications. Nonetheless, the average person is expected to have up 50 colds in their lifetime!  This encyclopedia rocks and is more than helpful when it comes to your class assignments. But do yourself (and the rest of us) a favor and see a real doctor when you actually get sick.

-Jasmyn Walker

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Meet the (Virtual) Reference Books: A Dictionary of Superstitions

Meet the Reference Books introduces noteworthy encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference materials in Carmichael Library's print and digital collections. Blog posts are contributed by Reference Student Assistants.  The first round of books this semester comes from our Virtual Reference Shelf.  

This post is written by Shannon Skelton, a French major.  Shannon introduces A Dictionary of Superstitions.  

Did you know that in the nineteenth century some people believed that an adulterer could cure warts? Yes, you read that correctly, an adulterer could cure warts. This is just one example of the many interesting entries you can find in A Dictionary of Superstitions, published in 2003 and edited by Iona Opie and Moira Tatem.

Want another one?

To cure whooping-cough, just have a ferret drink some milk and then have the patient drink the rest of it.

This reference book comprises a wide range of folk beliefs, some of which have endured for centuries. The entries recount the significance of colors, animals, and days. Some also tell of rituals which are to be performed at certain times or in certain circumstances to ensure good fortune.  For example, in the 1950s, it was considered bad luck for women to say thank you to someone who picked a dropped object up for them.

If you are ever in need of more information about a superstition, take a look at this book!

-Shannon Skelton