Updates

Hard to believe I haven’t posted since July, sorry about that.
A lot has happened.
I no longer work at Unique Treasures but I still love doing Henna and reading Tarot and would love to make a more lucrative move with those things but sadly am unable to do so at this time. I am looking for a job though (cross your fingers I might get one soon).

Halloween is coming soon and whether you call it All Hallows Eve, Samhain, Shadowfest, or New Years I hope you all have a good one.
This time of year is so special for me. Its when I become rejuvenated and focused on the craft and the changing world around me. I become nostalgic and attuned and have a desire to do things to channel this.

Hopefully I will have more to post soon.

One image from Special Collections

It's only one image in twelve hours of film, but we're pleased that Ken Burns is using a photo from the Frank Church collection in his 6-part documentary "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," airing Sunday through Friday nights this week on PBS (KAID-TV in Boise).

It's an image of Frank Church with Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall and it will air in Episode 6 on Friday.

PBS also uses the image on their website devoted to the show at http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/history/ep6/3/ .

Alan Virta,

Head of Special Collections

Banned and Challenged Books: 2008-2009

Banned Book Week, established by the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) in 1982, begins today and wraps up October 3.
Each year, the OIF documents attempts by individuals and groups to have books removed from libraries and from school classrooms. Out of 513 challenges in 2008, the 10 books most challenged are listed below. The OIF also tracks "Banned and Challenged Classics," which includes many of the top 100 novels of the 20th century.

The 10 Most Challenged Titles in 2008

Titles are linked to the Albertsons Library copy's location and call number.

Reasons for challenges follow the authors' names.

And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group.

His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence.

TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group.

Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence.

Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group.

Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group.

Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group.

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group.

Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group.

Test Your Bronco Trivia Skills, Win a Prize!

Albertsons Library is excited to offer avid Bronco fans the opportunity to put their memory to the test for the chance to win Bronco memorabilia! Beginning on the afternoon of Monday, September 28, 2009 until mid-day on Saturday, October 3, 2009 Albertsons Library will have a Bronco exhibit prominently displayed on the first floor, just beyond the main entrance.

Please come in and view the memorable Bronco mascot images from over the years and match each one to the correct corresponding decade and, enter your answers in a drawing to win your own piece of prized memorabilia!

We look forward to seeing you — Go Broncos!

Need an NAICS code?

It's the question of the day!

If you're trying to find an NAICS code, try using the official government website at http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/. This site has a really useful search and, although it's not a library database, it is a reliable information source.

If you need more information about NAICS, such as correspondence tables to see the differences between revisions to the code, try this site: http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/.

FIND IT @ Albertsons Library

Albertsons is working hard to connect you to the information you need. Look for the button embedded in the Library’s online resources.

The button will lead you to full-text content by any means possible (interlibrary loan, in print, or through other online library resources). You are always just a click of the button away from what you want. Check out this video for more information.

If you have questions about how to use this tool, please do not hesitate to contact Albertsons Library. As always, we are happy to help you with your research and questions!

Rick Stoddart,
Reference librarian

Special Collections featured in a new documentary

Images from the Vardis Fisher collection in Albertsons Library's Special Collections are featured in a new documentary, "Soul of a People: Writing America's Story," which will air four times over the next several days on the Smithsonian Channel.

The documentary is about the Federal Writers Project, a New Deal initiative to employ writers during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Vardis Fisher was the Idaho state director for the Federal Writers Project, and his 400-page guidebook to Idaho was the first in the project's American Guide series to be completed and published, to nationwide critical and popular acclaim.

The story of Fisher's work with the project, including his testy relationship with New Deal administrators, is interwoven throughout the 90-minute documentary. He is one of several writers featured in the film; others include Studs Terkel, John Cheever, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, and Zora Neale Hurston.

The producers of the documentary visited Albertsons Library during the course of their research, and images from Boise State's collections are found throughout the film.

According to the Smithsonian Channel's website, it is scheduled to air this Friday September 18 at 2 pm Mountain Time, Saturday at 7 pm, next Tuesday at 5:30 pm, and next Wednesday at 6 am Mountain Time. Please check local listings to confirm the times.

More information about the documentary can be found at http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/smithsonian/show_soul_people.do

The guide to the Library's Vardis Fisher collection is on the Special Collections website at http://library.boisestate.edu/special/findingaids/fa159.shtm

Alan Virta,

Head Librarian
Special Collections

EndNote Web Workshops!

We are offering two more workshops in September and more to come as the semester progresses.

The EndNote Web workshops will focus on how to use this tool to organize and save your research effectively.

Please RSVP as there are a limited number of seats available for both!

Happy Birthday @theLibrary

Cake! Yep, it's time for a birthday celebration. This Thursday, Sept. 10th the library will be celebrating our 14th anniversary of the last remodel of the building.

We'll start slicing cake at 1pm in front of the library, so come on by and share in the celebration.

The Rockwell Clock

One of the landmarks in Albertsons Library is the grandfather clock in the McBirney Room on the second floor. It was presented to the library when the university was still Boise Junior College by Irvin E. Rockwell, one of the school’s early benefactors.

A former state senator, Rockwell—known popularly as “Rock”—owned the Minnie Moore silver mine near Bellevue. He was a powerful and engaging personality, a tall man with a booming voice who was several times considered a potential candidate for governor.

Rockwell died in 1952 at the age of 89, and in 2001 his family presented his papers to Albertsons Library. The Special Collections Department has completed a guide to the papers and a biographical sketch of this important and colorful Idaho personality. They are posted online at http://library.boisestate.edu/Special/FindingAids/fa60.shtm