Ohrstrom Blog

Lisa Laughy September 22nd, 2008

Lisa Laughy - Archives Assistant

It is likely that many of you are already aware of the organizational bonus a feed reader provides, but for those of you who have never heard of RSS, XML or ATOM, you may be missing out on a convenience that could change the way you browse online.

RSS stand for Really Simple Syndication, and is a way for websites like Ohrstrom Blog to syndicate online content.  Subscribing to Ohrstrom Blog’s feed through a browser-based feed reader like Bloglines or Google Reader lets you know when there is new content available, eliminating the need of having to visit the site.  Subscribing to feeds from all of your favorite sites in a feed reader provides a kind of one-stop-shopping convenience for getting information online.

The image above is a screenshot of the Bloglines interface.  Once you set up a free Bloglines (or one of the many other feed reader) account you can start tracking your favorite blogs and news sites.  A RSS subscription can be added by clicking a feed link on a blog or website. Most sites use some form of this RSS icon to identify their feed, but there are a number of different ways to subscribe, including entering a web address directly into the feed reader.  There are several subscription options available for Ohrstrom Blog included in the “Have a Chicklet” list in the sidebar on the left.

In Bloglines, your subscriptions are listed on the left side of the screen, and the title and synopsis of the new blog content is listed on the right.  The RSS feed from Ohrstrom Blog contains images and the full text of the blog post.  You can use your feed reader to scan the latest posts from Ohrstrom Blog, read the complete text, or click through to the actual entry in its fully formatted state on the Ohrstrom Blog.  Other feed readers function in the same basic way, it is just a matter of personal preference which reader you use.

Find yourself a feed reader and then subscribe to the Ohrstrom Blog feed by clicking the “Subscribe” link in the header, or by using one of the  chicklets in the sidebar list.  Then you will have an easy time keeping an eye out for the upcoming posts on RSS and feed readers during the next few weeks.

For an extensive list of feed readers available click HERE.

Tags: Bloglines, feed, feed reader, feed readers, Feeds, Google Reader, Ohrstrom Blog, RSS, XML

• Library Tech , Technology
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Lisa Laughy September 19th, 2008

David Levesque - Technical Services Librarian / Archivist

From the earliest days, almost from the School’s founding in 1856, members of the SPS community have documented their lives and the life of the School through diaries, letters and memoirs. The SPS Archives holds many examples of this living history, giving us a glimpse into the School as it was and as it has evolved over the years. The Rural Record, for example, is a daily handwritten journal begun in 1857 and continued by various faculty members for almost fifty years.  The daily happenings of the School, both momentous and mundane, including the temperature and weather conditions taken at three different times of day, were recorded in these journals.

Rectors and faculty members also kept personal diaries. For instance, Willard Scudder, Form of 1885, kept diaries that span almost his entire life, from 1893 up to his death in 1936, after forty-three years of devoted service to the School. We are fortunate that student letters from the past have also survived, such as the letters of George Farnam Brown, Form of 1906, who wrote home almost every week while he was a student at SPS from 1903 to 1906. Many SPS graduates have also written memoirs of their SPS experience. One notable example is Black Ice by Lorene Cary, Form of 1974.

No matter the format, these writings allow us to experience the SPS of the past and serve to give us a deeper understanding of the history and traditions that have shaped SPS today. These diaries, letters and memoirs remind us of the love and labor of those who came before us who cared deeply for the School, and who wished to preserve their memories of Millville. We are in their debt for capturing in words the past that informs us today.

See the new archives display - Millville Memories: Diaries, Letters and Memoirs from the SPS Archives – in the upper level gallery of Ohrstrom Library.

See the complete letter shown above – including transcription, on the Ohrstrom Library Archives website HERE.

Tags: Archives, diaries, George Farnam Brown, letters, Lorene Cary, memoirs, Millville, Ohrstrom Library, St. Paul's School, Willard Scudder

• Archives
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Lisa Laughy September 18th, 2008

Deb Baker – Interim Reference Librarian

Global Perspectives on the United States: A Nation by Nation Survey edited by David Levinson and Karen Christensen, Berkshire Publishing Group, 2007.

Find it in Ohrstrom at: Ref. 327.73 L579 v.1

Volumes one and two of this set explore current and historical global opinions towards the U.S. with “A Nation by Nation Survey” of 140 countries. The third volume, “Issues and Ideas Shaping International Relations,” contains 95 articles about world views on U.S. policy, perspectives, values, business and commerce, organizations, culture, trends, and issues, as well as a “Reader’s Guide” grouping related entries.

HELPFUL FOR: American Foreign Policy, Topics in Global Events

FUN FOR: future pundits and politicians, NPR junkies, opinionistas, journalists

Tags: American Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, International Relations, New Reference Book, Topics in Global Events, United States

• Research , Social Sciences
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Lisa Laughy September 17th, 2008

Patti Lynn – Library Assistant, Periodicals

Did you know that Ohrstrom Library subscribes to nearly 200 periodicals?   With titles ranging from A (Advocate) to Z (Z Magazine), our periodicals cover almost every imaginable subject.  While there are many academic titles to choose from (Science and Journal of American History come to mind) we also subscribe to a number of titles selected largely for recreational reading (Car and Driver and Sail are two examples).

Two recently received magazines illustrate the range of our holdings.  First, the 798 page September issue of Vogue is now on the shelves (weighing in at an impressive 3 pounds 11.4 ounces).  Second, the current issue of the magazine with what I consider to be the most curious title in the collection, Journal of Recreational Mathematics, has arrived.  So, the next time you visit Ohrstrom Library, take a quick tour of the Pillsbury Reading Room, and I’m sure you’ll find at least one magazine to browse through.

Tags: Advocate, Car and Driver, Journal of American History, Journal of Recreational Mathematics, Ohrstrom Library, Periodical Picks, Periodicals, Sail, Science, St. Paul's School, Vogue, Z Magazine

• Periodicals
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Lisa Laughy September 16th, 2008

Deb Baker -Interim Reference Librarian

Whether you are just starting to think about college choices or are nearly ready to apply, there is a book to help you make informed decisions. Ohrstrom Library’s updated college guide collection, now located on a shelf near the front desk, is on reserve for use in the library. Not sure where to begin? Explore the most recent editions of several wide-ranging guides, including The Fiske Guide to Colleges, Princeton Review’s The 368 Best Colleges, and Rugg’s Recommendations On the Colleges.

If you are seeking a student or alumni perspective, consult The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges, published by Yale Daily News, or The College Buzz Book.  Perhaps you want a more nuanced picture of the Ivies and other highly ranked campuses? Peruse Choosing the Right College: The Whole Truth About America’s Top Schools or Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That’s Right for You.

Are you eager to turn your education into action? Read Making a Difference Colleges: Distinctive Colleges to Make a Better World, or Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Other specialty titles such as Study Away: the Unauthorized Guide to College Abroad or The Gay and Lesbian Guide to College Life can help you find your niche. Curl up in a comfortable spot in the library and discover the always fascinating but sometimes confusing avenues for pursuing higher education. With so many options ahead of you, a good reference book can help guide the way.   However . . .

A Special Note:

As helpful and enlightening as these handbooks, manuals and guides can be for gaining a preliminary overview of the wide range of colleges and universities out there, these library holdings represent just a tiny fraction of the vast array of services and information sources available at the SPS College Office where advisers will provide you with customized assistance throughout every step of the college search and applications process.  For more detail regarding the important work and resources provided by your College Office click HERE.

Tags: College, College Office, New Reference Book, Ohrstrom Library, Reserves, St. Paul's School

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