Monday, December 22, 2008

Book Worm

Looking for something good to read over the holidays? Maybe you need to find a book to give as a present. Well, here are some sites that might just help you out…

Whichbook

This is a fun site that lets you customize the search for the type of book you want. Using a sliding scale, you can choose a book that is happier or longer or bleaker. It’s a fun tool to play with. You can also choose what kind of character you want, based on gender, race, age and sexuality. There are also options for plots and settings.

Genrefluent

This is another fun site that allows you to browse books from different genres. This is especially great because the lists often include reviews of the various titles.

Fictionwise

This site offers free eBooks and can be great for finding something to read. Even if you the physical feel of a book (as, I confess, I do), you can at least get an idea of what the book is about before you go out and buy it.

Based on the Book

This site, brought to us by the Mid-Continent Public Library in Missouri, is for those of us who love books and movies. This site offers an alphabetical list of books that have been made into movies, as well as an alphabetical list of movies based on books. This can be a really fun game to play: read the book then watch the movie. You can even turn it into a discussion…not a bad idea for book clubs!

Bunny Burnstein

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

SL Adventures: Music Pavilion, Cultural Arts Museum

In my post on November 26th, I wrote about exploring the Cultural Arts Museum created by James Madison University in Second Life. Now, I mentioned visiting a Roman Grotto, a Roman Villa, a Greek Temple, an Egyptian Tomb, a Russian Orthodox Church, and the Starkweather Art Pavilion. Well, I did NOT mention a Music Pavilion…mainly, because there was not one when I visited the museum. Now, however, there is one! So, here is the SLURL… enjoy playing the harp and the piano. Also be sure to check out the beautiful scenery.

Bunny Burnstein

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Oh, the Cites You’ll See…

With finals coming upon all the students out there, I decided this would be a good time to break out some of my citation websites. Enjoy!

C.W. Post Campus

This first one is my favorite, partly because it is color-coded. Simply click on the link to the style you need at the top of the page, and you are ready to begin. Each page has a list of types of resources. Each resource has an example with each part color coded, so that you can understand what the cite should look like and what information goes where.

OWL at Purdue

This site, brought to you by the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University, lists the different types of citation style in a very useful way. Select the style you need and then scroll down to choose the type of citation format you need: in text vs. bibliography, online vs. print, etc. Once you find the section you need, you will see a list of how to cite different resources…including blogs!

Citing Information, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library

This is another site that breaks down the basics of each style. It’s not necessarily as user-friendly as the first two, but it is still a great resource!

Online!

This site, brought to you by Bedford/St. Martin’s, is a great place to learn about citation styles and even find resources for a particular topic. It’s a site definitely worth exploring.

The Writing Center

This site is a well-organized and easy way to check on the rules for various citations styles. It even offers orientation for each style, as well as other citation resources online.

KnightCite

This site is actually a type of cheat sheet brought to us by the Hekman Library of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. This little gadget does the citation for you…much in the way that some databases (i.e. Academic Search Complete) do. Now, this does not always work, which is why you need the other sites I’ve listed. Sometimes this gadget does not fit the type of source you may have perfectly. One caveat: always use a citation manual or one of these sites with the KnightCite. Some citations have different rules about capitalization, and KnightCite does not handle that aspect of the citation. So always double-check your work!

Check my del.icio.us account for some more sites aimed at specific citation styles! Some of these sites even offer writing tips!

Bunny Burnstein

Monday, December 1, 2008

Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.

Today is World AIDS Day. It is a day when individuals and organizations around the globe focus attention on AIDS. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. If you are interested in learning more about HIV/AIDS or World AIDS Day, here are some sites to point you in the right direction.

World AIDS Day

This site is dedicated to World AIDS Day. It offers ideas for promoting your World AIDS Day event, as well as ideas for getting involved.

LIFEbeat

This site is dedicated to raising AIDS awareness among today’s youth. It offers information about AIDS, as well as information about testing sites.

AIDS Info

This site by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers all kinds of information about HIV and AIDS in a user-friendly format.

CDC HIV/AIDS

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also has a site on AIDS that can answer a lot of questions about the disease and what is being done to treat it.

National HIV and STD Testing Resources

This site allows you to search for testing facilities near you. Once you enter your zip code, a list of results will pop up. With the results, there is a sidebar that gives you the option for a more advanced search. This search includes an option for FREE testing centers. Be sure to take advantage of that if you believe you or someone you love has been exposed to HIV or AIDS.

UNAIDS

This is the United Nation’s site for AIDS, addressing the global aspects of the disease. It’s a great resource for anyone interested in what each country/region is doing/has to say about the epidemic. (Though, I must be honest, this page took a long time to load for me…so be patient.)

Bunny Burnstein