Tag Archives: Environment

Book Review: The Facts of The Matter: Looking Past Today’s Rhetoric on the Environment and Responsible Development By David Parish

June 1, 2020 ddudley16 Leave a comment

This is a thought-provoking book from an author who worked for many years as a lobbyist for companies in the area of natural resource development.

Here he lays out a strategy for working to address today’s environmental and societal problems.

He believes that progress can be made if people are willing to listen to the “other side”. Too often, we get locked into an “us vs them” mentality.

He points out problems (and solutions) surrounding news media, politicians, and groups with agendas working on both sides of an issue. He does not hesitate to go after both sides.

But he is hopeful that our problems can be addressed. While he lobbied for big corporations, he is also a strong advocate for the environment. He argues how changes can be made that help the environment, improve people’s standard of living, and raise up entire societies.

I learned a lot from this book. I had never really thought about where “the stuff” to make electronics and power our country comes from. Zinc, copper, molybdenum, rare earth elements are vital to these industries. And with more and more demand for power and electronics, we will need more and more of these products. So we cannot do away with mining or the other industries that generate power. Mr. Parish argues that the production of natural resources is changing and can be done in an environmentally safe way.

Whether or not you agree with everything he says, it will make you think.

Books, School of Advanced Manufacturing , Engineering, and Applied Technology

New Agriculture Books

June 7, 2018 Ann Leave a comment

A Botanist’s Vocabulary: 1300 Terms Explained and Illustrated. By Susan K. Pell and Bobbi Angell.

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This book has been added to our non-circulating Reference collection, in support of our Agriculture program. “A Botanist’s Vocabulary gives gardeners and naturalists a better understanding of what they see and a way to categorize and organize the natural world in which they are so intimately involved. Through concise definitions and detailed black and white illustrations, it defines 1300 words commonly used by botanists, naturalists, and gardeners to describe plants.” (publisher)

Native Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the Garden. By Allen Branhagen.

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Branhagen is a regional expert and director of horticulture at Powell Gardens, Kansas City, MO; the book comes encrusted with encomiums from plant scientists throughout the Midwest. “Features the best native plants in the heartland and offers clear and concise guidance on how to use them in the garden. Plant profiles for more than 500 species of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, ground covers, bulbs, and annuals contain the common and botanical names, growing information, tips on using the plant in a landscape, and advice on related plants. You’ll learn how to select the right plant and how to design with native plants. Helpful lists of plants for specific purposes are shared throughout. This comprehensive book is for native plant enthusiasts and home gardeners” (publisher)

The Death and Life of the Great Lakes. By Dan Egan.

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This book is a model for science reporting. It won the J. Anthony Lukas Award, the Grantham Prize for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment, Special Merit Citation and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It is relevant to both our Agriculture and Environmental safety programs. Egan draws on interviews with residents, scientists, government officials, and historical documents; the notes and bibliography cover 23 pages.

“The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is prize-winning reporter Dan Egan’s compulsively readable portrait of an ecological catastrophe happening right before our eyes, blending the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them for generations to come … In an age when dire problems like the Flint water crisis or the California drought bring ever more attention to the indispensability of safe, clean, easily available water, The Death and the Life of the Great Lakes is a powerful paean to what is arguably our most precious resource, an urgent examination of what threatens it and a convincing call to arms about the relatively simple things we need to do to protect it.” (publisher)

Books, School of Arts, Sciences & Education

New Children’s Books for April

April 12, 2018 Liz Leave a comment

Note: Caldecott Honor Book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is on our purchase list, but is currently sold out in most places. It will be added to our collection when it becomes available.

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

2018 Caldecott Medal Winner
Call Number: PIC COR
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When a wolf cub and little girl are lost in a snowstorm they must find their way home.

A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui

2018 Caldecott Honor Book
Call Number: PIC PHI
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As a young boy, Bao Phi awoke early, hours before his father’s long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. Between hope-filled casts, Bao’s father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam.

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper

2018 Caldecott Honor Book
Call Number: PIC COO
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There was a cat
who lived alone.
Until the day
a new cat came . . .

And so a story of friendship begins, following the two cats through their days, months, and years until one day, the older cat has to go. And he doesn’t come back. This is a poignant story, told in measured text and bold black-and-white illustrations about the act of moving on.

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin

2018 Caldecott Honor Book
Call Number: F 788 .C485 2017
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A river winds through the landscape, eroding the rock for millions of years, shaping a cavity in the ground 277 miles long, as much as 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep known as … Grand Canyon. Home to an astonishing variety of plants and animals that live within its walls, Grand Canyon is much more than just a hole in the ground. Follow a father and daughter as they make their way through this wondrous place, discovering life both present and past. Weave in and out of time as perfectly placed die cuts show how a fossil today was a living creature millions of years ago, often in a completely different environment.

Rhyme Crime by John Burgerman

Call Number: PIC BUR
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In this buoyant rhyming romp, words have gone mysteriously missing: Who stole Marlow’s happy smile, and replaced it with a crocodile? Who swiped Dingle’s sneeze–aaaaachooo!–and left a stinky cheese? The thief took Tumble’s orange, and switched it with a . . . with a . . . Hey, does anything rhyme with orange? No? Aha! Could this be the rhyming robber’s undoing? Guided by bright, clever artwork, kids are empowered to put the final clues together for themselves to solve this silly rhyme crime, then guess at the name-nabber’s next sneaky move.

The Tiptoeing Tiger by Philippa Leathers

Call Number: PIC LEA
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Everyone knows that tigers are sleek, silent, and totally terrifying . . . most tigers, that is. But no one is afraid of Little Tiger. He’s just too small and clumsy to frighten anyone. Determined to prove that he is terrifying, Little Tiger sets out on tiptoe, creeping through the forest to find someone to scare. He gets yawned at and laughed at, but Little Tiger won’t give up. Is there any animal in the forest who will find him just as sleek, silent, and totally terrifying as the bigger tigers?

Books, School of Arts, Sciences & Education

New Children’s Books for March

March 14, 2018 Liz Leave a comment

Shake the Tree by Chiara Vignocchi, Paolo Chiarinotti, and Silvia Borando; illustrations by Silvia Borando

Call Number: PIC VIG
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Various animals take turns shaking a tree in search of a tasty meal. It starts with Mouse who wants a nut so she shakes the tree a little to the right, and a little to the left. But it isn’t the nut that falls from the tree, it’s Fox who thinks that Mouse looks pretty tasty! Soon a warthog and then a bear come along with similar ideas. Little readers will enjoy the just-made-it escapes and the fun shaking-action that readers can do along with this interactive picture book. Translated from the Italian.

Red Again by Barbara Lehman

Call Number: PIC LEH
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When a young boy finds an abandoned book, he discovers another world just as real as his own.

My Pillow Keeps Moving! by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Christopher Weyant

Call Number: PIC GEH
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A clever pup ends up in a cozy home, and she’ll do anything to stay there. She impersonates everything the lonely homeowner needs–a pillow, a footstool, a jacket. But in the end, being herself works best.

Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton

Call Number: QH 541.15 .B56 D38 2017
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The more we study the world around us, the more living things we discover every day. The planet is full of millions of species of plants, birds, animals, and microbes, and every single one including us is part of a big, beautiful, complicated pattern. When humans interfere with parts of the pattern, by polluting the air and oceans, taking too much from the sea, and cutting down too many forests, animals and plants begin to disappear. What sort of world would it be if it went from having many types of living things to having just one?

Three Little Monkeys by Quentin Blake, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark

Call Number: PIC BLA
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Tim, Sam, and Lulu are the mischievous and naughty three little monkeys who are told each day to be good while Hilda goes off to do her errands. And each day, Hilda returns home to find a bigger mess than the day before. These mischievous monkeys will likely never learn to behave!

Books, Databases, Library News, Staff Profiles

Celebrate October

October 6, 2017 Ann Leave a comment

October feels like a month of holidays! This year October encompasses Sukkot, Diwali, and Samhain/Hallowe’en among others. We have cookbooks with recipes for these holidays, and children’s books about them too. Come on in and browse!

As the leaves fall, you can use the online TreeFinder to identify the tree species they are from. And of course you can find many uses for colorful leaves, and leaf-themed designs, in our Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center.

Don’t forget to observe All Hallows Read by giving someone you love a scary book that they would like. Our new favorite for children is I Want to Be in a Scary Story. Check it out!

Other new books received this month include:
The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies, by Jason Fagone.
George and Lizzie by Nancy Pearl, the acclaimed debut novel by NPR books commentator.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, a young adult novel of which Kirkus Reviews says: “This story is necessary. This story is important.”
Sleeping Beauties, another novel with topical overtones, from horror master Steven King and his son Owen King.

Meet Your Library Staff
There is no better illustration of talent hiding behind a job description than Library Director Nicole Treesh. (That’s her on the left)

What do you do at the Library?
I have been the Library Director for almost a year. The synopsis of what I do is oversee the Fort Wayne, Wabash, and now Warsaw library services, resources, and staff while supporting the mission and goals of the College particularly related to student success. I can’t do what I do without the amazing staff on my team. I represent the library on several committees and consortia including the Statewide Library Director’s Committee, our Regional Academic Affairs Team, and the Regional Extended Cabinet.
I develop, manage, and evaluate the library budgets, the library collections, and our online resources. My brain is always working, thinking, and learning about trends in information technology, library services, and community college completion and retention. I’m always striving to tell the story of the library and our mission to serve the students, faculty, and staff in more ways than just offering books and resources.

How did you gain your expertise?
I have a BS in Counseling and worked several years in community mental health organizations. My passion for wanting to help people overcome adversity and obtain their goals in life started when I was in elementary school. I’ve also always loved libraries, books, and technology. I got a part time job at a library and quickly realized that my passions for helping people and information technology go hand in hand. I decided to get my MLS and started pursuing full time library jobs. I spent a couple years working in secondary schools in both IT, media centers, and as a Computer Programming Teacher. My first MLS job was as a librarian here at Ivy Tech! Soon after I started, the library director resigned and I became interim director until hired officially in November 2016. My library career path isn’t traditional and certainly moved rapidly, but I couldn’t be happier or feel more blessed.

What is unique about you that could be of service to the Ivy Tech Community?
I believe that my background in mental health is invaluable, but also my personal experience with mental illness particularly as it relates to suicide prevention and awareness having lost my dad to suicide when I was just 17. I’m compassionate and empathetic, can relate to the struggles of many of our students, and have the strength to move mountains for our students to succeed.

What is your favorite thing to do outside the Library?
I should say reading, right? But truthfully, I’m a Netflix addict. I love gardening, spending time with my husband, my kitty Maggie, and family. I also dance obnoxiously to Kelly Clarkson 24/7 who I’ve seen 4 times in concert.

What books would you recommend to readers?
The Watersong series by Amanda Hocking who is a terrific YA author, I also have loved anything by Jandy Nelson, Jodi Picoult, or Ellen DeGeneres who is my favorite person/philanthropist.

What website do you recommend just for fun?
Everyone needs a goodreads.com account!

Books

Globalization : a basic text / George Ritzer

August 26, 2014 Ann Leave a comment

Call number: JZ1318 .R577 2010

The first full-scale textbook of its kind, Globalization: A Basic Text provides a balanced introduction to the major topics in globalization studies. Written in a highly accessible style, and drawing on sources both academic and popular, the book adopts a definition of globalization that emphasizes transplanetary flows and the structures that both expedite and impede those flows. Driven by a range of theories from imperialism and Americanization (and anti-Americanism), to neo-liberalism and the neo-Marxian alternatives, as well the major types of cultural theory, the book examines the key events in the history of globalization, and the principle flows and structures produced in the course of that history. Among the major topics covered are the economy, culture, technology, media and the Internet, migration, the environment, global inequalities, and the future of globalization. Making extensive use of maps and with a glossary of key terms, this book offers the reader not only a descriptive, but also a critical, analysis of globalization. (From Google Books)

Featured Materials, Videos

Journey to Planet Earth: “State of the Planet’s Oceans” DVD

July 28, 2013 Ann Leave a comment

Call number: GC 1018 .J68 2009

Once considered an inexhaustible source of food, the oceans are now in danger of being significantly depleted. Matt Damon hosts “The State of the Planet’s Oceans” as award-winning filmmakers Hal and Marilyn Weiner investigate the health and sustainability of the world’s oceans and the issues affecting marine preserves, fisheries, and coastal ecosystems in the United States and worldwide. (From YouTube)

Featured Materials, Videos

Journey to Planet Earth: PLAN B: Mobilizing to Save Civilization DVD

July 28, 2013 Ann Leave a comment

http://dgjigvacl6ipj.cloudfront.net/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf
PLAN B: Mobilizing to Save Civilization features Lester Brown, environmental visionary and author of “Plan B.” This documentary delivers a clear and unflinching message – either confront the realities of climate change or suffer the consequences of lost civilizations and failed political states. Brown, together with other notable scholars and scientists, including Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, former Governor and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, provides a glimpse into a new and emerging economy based upon renewable resources as well as strategies to avoid the growing threat of global warming. (From PBS)

Books

The pipeline and the paradigm : Keystone XL, tar sands, and the battle to defuse the carbon bomb / Samuel Avery

May 19, 2013 Ann Leave a comment

Call number: TN879.5.A94 P57 2013

There is enough carbon trapped in the Canadian tar sands to plunge the earth into irreversible climate change, and it is the Keystone XL pipeline that will set that carbon free. Is this 2,100-mile steel pipeline a vital piece of our nation’s energy future or the conduit for global climate disaster? In The Pipeline and the Paradigm, Samuel Avery investigates the economic, ecological, political, and psychological issues behind the Keystone XL — a project so controversial it has inspired the largest expression of civil disobedience since the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. In this thoroughly researched, wholly engaging book, Avery takes readers from enormous tar sands mines in Alberta to a treetop blockade in Texas to meet the people and explore the competing interests that power the environmental issue of our time.