The INHS Library News blog is to inform users of new resources, library events, library systems downtime, and library schedule changes.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Climate Change Conference

The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies will host Climate Change, a three-day, free, education online conference Sept. 29 through Oct. 1. This is the second in a series of SCEMS conferences where researchers and curators from around the Smithsonian Institution come together to address a single subject.

Climate Change will feature sessions that everyone will find interesting: Some sessions will be of special interest to educators while others will engage entire classrooms and the general public. Throughout the conference, participants can explore Smithsonian research and collections related to the evidence, impact and response to climate change. Alongside Smithsonian scientists and curators, the public can look at the issues surrounding climate change from the perspectives of science, history and art.

"We're excited to offer this online seminar on such an important and timely topic as climate change. The Smithsonian, with its experts, collections and partners is uniquely qualified to do so," said Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian. "Our first seminar, on Abraham Lincoln, was a resounding success that started an online dialogue that continues today—here and abroad.

The conference will show the depth of research that the Smithsonian can bring to a current problem. Smithsonian scientists and other experts will lead participants in explorations of Smithsonian research on this important issue via live presentations, moderated forums and demonstrations. Through live streaming, speakers will respond to questions and comments from the audience. All of the conference sessions will be recorded and archived and can be replayed at any time via the Web at www.SmithsonianEducation.org.

Among the presenters are:

  • Bert Drake, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, who leads two major studies of the impact of atmospheric carbon dioxide on ecosystems
  • Don Moore, associate director for animal care at the National Zoo, who helps create conservation-management plans for wildlife
  • Scott Wing, paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural History, who specializes in prehistoric plant life and its reactions to climate change

Registration is open to everyone at www.SmithsonianEducation.org/Climate, which also features a blog about climate change.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Scientists Count New York's Cricket Population

Read/listen to the full story at NPR.

Scientists are asking New Yorkers' help to track the city's population of the common true katydid. New Yorkers have been asked to use their cell phones to record the insects' calls for 1 minute, and send their results and locations to scientists. Louis Sorkin, an entomologist with the American Museum of Natural History and co-organizer of NYC Cricket Crawl, says the project is an attempt to find out if katydids still live in New York.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Find funding using the Foundation Directory

Are you looking for a funding source for a project or program?

The Foundation Directory is a detailed index of grantmaking foundations. It is searchable by field of interest, geographic focus, and type of support offered. Records include total assets and total giving for the prior year, as well as information about the application process. The Directory also contains a record of prior grants awarded by each grantmaker.

There are many foundations funding work in areas directly relevant to INHS' mission. If you would like help using the Foundation Directory, please contact us!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Mammal database identifies species destined for trouble

Read the full story in New Scientist.

What would happen to polar bears if people built towns in the deep Arctic? Or to tiger populations, if India's grasslands turned to desert?

A new database that allows users to explore the factors that predispose different mammalian species to extinction – from human encroachment to slow reproductive rate – could be useful in planning conservation schemes, its developers say. Anyone can access the online system, YouTHERIA, which allows users to manipulate parameters including habitat ecology, litter size and diet, and test their own hypotheses.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Elsevier Launches Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

Elsevier has announced the launch of a new journal, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. Available on ScienceDirect (full text of first two issues available at no charge for a limited time), the journal aims to address the scientific, economic, social, technological and institutional aspects related to the challenge of environmental sustainability by focusing on integration across academic disciplines and insights with implications for societal practices and processes.

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability was developed by the Earth System Science Partnership to ensure that specialists keep up to date with the expanding volume of information published in the interdisciplinary research area of environmental change and sustainability. The journal is divided into six major sections: Climate Systems; Human settlements and habitat; Energy systems; Terrestrials systems; Carbon and Nitrogen cycles; and Aquatic systems. Reviewed once a year, each section aims to cover the latest advances and trends on the environmental dimensions of sustainability and provides the views of invited experts on recent literature, with particular emphasis on articles published in the past two-three years.

Friday, September 04, 2009

September New Books

The latest batch of new books is now on display through October 16, 2009.

Reserve items for checkout from the New Book Shelf either by placing a blue streamer with your name on it in the book or by emailing your request to library@inhs.uiuc.edu.

Can't get to the library? Try a virtual browse:
Books added to the INHS Library collection in the last 60 days

Create your own report of new titles from the UIUC Libraries.

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