Specialized Encyclopedias

Specialized Encyclopedias

Let's say your teacher gave you an assignment to research African food. You scroll through the library's computer catalog, hoping to find a book on the topic. You notice one book that mentions African food, but it turns out to be a book of recipes--not the sort of thing your teacher wants you to find.

You go to the next page in your search, and suddenly all the books are on cheetahs and elephants. Not very helpful. You need this information--soon.

What do you do?

Or imagine that you want to learn more about Nigeria, since conflict there has been in the news. You saw an article mention that the Igbo are a major ethnic group in Nigeria, and you would like more information about them, so you check the library catalog. All the results are either picture books or fiction. Should you give up?

One solution to your problem can be found in the reference section on the second floor of the library. We have encyclopedias on a number of different specialized topics, including Africa. The Encyclopedia of Africa includes information on countries, tribes, and individuals, as well as articles on more general topics, such as African food. The Africana encyclopedia includes articles on both African and African-American topics. If you are curious about an Africa-related subject that bridges continents, then this is the encyclopedia for you. And those are only two of the reference books that focus on Africa. The reference section includes many more.

Don't give up on learning about a topic at the library just because it doesn't show up in the catalog. Ask whether any reference books might cover the topic. Most likely there is a book in the reference section that will answer some of your questions.

--Submitted by Elizabeth Johnston

HISTORICAL TREASURES AT THE LIBRARY, Part 2

HISTORICAL TREASURES AT THE LIBRARY, Part 2

An historical treasure in the Martinsburg library is an 1889 popcorn vending wagon located at the entrance into the adult library. The wagon was made by the Kingery Manufacturing Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.  It belonged to George Ashton, a street vendor who sold popcorn every night (except Sundays) for many years on the corner of Burke and Queen Streets from around 1910 through the mid- 1950s.  

Saturday nights were the best time for business since stores were open and the downtown was bustling with people, so Ashton sold popcorn at every intersection along Queen Street on those nights. From when he first opened his business, and until the start of World War II (when there was a scarcity of them), Ashton also sold peanuts, cracker jacks, chewing gum, and penny candies. Many older members of the Martinsburg community might remember buying popcorn downtown from him or one of his helpers on a Saturday night.

 

The wagon was passed through a number of owners but eventually ended up back in Ashton’s family with his grandson, Max Mosse, who donated it to the library in 2008, as a nostalgic piece of Martinsburg’s history.

In defense of the "antisocial"

In defense of the "antisocial"

Some find social media addiction a problem in modern society, especially among young adults and teens.  People are spending less time talking to people face to face and more time behind their screens. However, consider this: a person suddenly thrown into a room with a bunch of strangers who know nothing about each other. Everything is suddenly a competition and everyone judges you on first appearances. 

There is very little sympathy and the occupants are more often considered guilty until proven innocent. Most people have found themselves in situations like this be it school, work or even for some at home. This is especially true for those who are introverts, anti-social or shy.  In tough and judgmental environments, it is easy to feel unwanted or that you don't belong.

This may be why so many  turn to another outlet: the internet. It connects people from all interests, social classes, races, genders, religions, countries and cultures. 

We live in a time that you can talk to people from anywhere in the world. There are countless websites dedicated to specific interests no matter how obscure or strange. 

If a person doesn't have to be limited to the social circle they  encounter in their daily lives, why constrict them? 

Instead of having to meld themselves to have others  accept them, they can more easily find others of similar interests who accept them as they are. 

This does not mean one should never participate in social events locally. It’s healthy to get away from one’s devices on occasion, but that doesn’t mean that online friendships are any less socially active. Like most things in life, the key for a healthy life both online and off is balance.

                                                                                          submitted by Katrina Straecke

NOTE: If there is worry about the effect of the computer screen light on one’s eyes, purchase a pair of gunner glasses to protect them. They work similarly to sunglasses, but uniquely for the light from computer screens rather than the light rays of the sun. 

Weapons in the Middle Ages

Weapons in the Middle Ages

On May 23, 2015 from 10 am – 5 pm The Friends of North Berkeley Library will once again welcome the Shire of Sylvan Glen (local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism) for the 2nd Mini-Renaissance Festival at North Berkeley Library. 

During the Day, members of the SCA will demonstrate thrown weapons and armored combat.  What forms of weapons were used during the Middle Ages?

Flaming fire! Hot oil running down castle walls! 

Arrows and massive stones hurled at enemies! These were just some of the weapons soldiers feared during the Middle Ages. Throughout the middle ages, the feudal system defined the weapons used in battle. While noble knights carried lances, spears, and swords, they were joined by peasant foot soldiers who often fought with little more than axes, daggers, and farm tools. Other weaponry of the period included the long bow and cross bow for use against enemy soldiers. The catapult and trebuchet were used for tearing down thick castle walls.

Swords:

A sword is a long, edged piece of forged metal, used primarily as a cutting or thrusting weapon and occasionally for clubbing. A sword fundamentally consisted of a blade and a hilt, typically with one or two sharpened edges for striking and cutting, and a point for thrusting.

Clubs and Maces:

A mace is a simple weapon that uses a heavy head on the end of a handle to deliver powerful blows. The mace, a development of the club, differs from a hammer in that the head of a mace is radically symmetric so that a blow can be delivered effectively with any side of the head. A mace consists of a strong, heavy, wooden, metal-reinforced or metal shaft with a head made of stone, copper, bronze, iron, or steel.

Music in the Middle Ages

Music in the Middle Ages 

On May 23, 2015 from 10 am – 5 pm The Friends of North Berkeley 

Library will once again welcome the Shire of Sylvan Glen (local 

chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism) for the 2nd 

Mini-Renaissance Festival at North Berkeley 

Library.

During the day, amidst all of the fighting demonstrations and weapon 

throwing, there will be a bardic competition!  

Did you know that early medieval music was performed in unison and 

in the key of C?  

Take this quiz to test your knowledge of the sounds of the Middle 

Ages:

1 - Medieval flutes were usually made of:

a. Silver

b. Wood

c. Bone

2 - The lute, mandore and dulcimer are all:

a. Medieval dances

b. Lullabies

c.   Stringed instruments

3 - A Gregorian Chant was:

a. A prisoner's last plea for mercy

b. An  a capella sacred song

c. A battle cry

4 4 - Early music was performed by troubadours, jongleurs, minstrels       and:

    

a. Mimes

b. Alchemists

c. Waits 

5 - A tabor was a...

a.  long drum

b.   flute

c.   guitar like instrument.

Read about Medieval Times in the book The Jester by James Patterson.

Learn more about the Mini Renaissance Festival on our website at http://martinsburg.lib.wv.us/

(Answers: 1.wood, 2.stringed instruments, 3.an a capella sacred song, 4.waits, 5.long drum)

Blog Post by Dana Phelps.

  

Death of Internet Explorer

Death of Internet Explorer

Whether it was awaited, anticipated or dreaded, Internet Explorer has finally met its end. The program will not be featured on most versions of Windows 10. In fact, even though the browser is still around it has officially been declared dead recently. Microsoft has wiped their hands clean of the twenty-year-old program that was once the height of all browsers, until its dethroning by Chrome in 2012.

They have decided to start fresh with a new program, advertised as being lighter, faster and more extension friendly: codename Spartan.

Explorer enthusiasts will finally have to move on from their ‘safe’ program if they have plans of using the upcoming upgrade to Windows 10. Even those who stubbornly hold on to the program that schools and government facilities hold so tightly too will be using a program that is no longer widely maintained so they will be putting themselves at risk of glitches, hackers and general degradation of the program.

This is hardly a shock however when even “The Economist” can claim that based on their research people who use Chrome or Firefox make better workers and change jobs less often than people who use Internet Explorer or Safari. They suspect that people who take the time to upgrade to the browser of their choice instead of the default browser on the computer are more likely to take the time and make informed decisions both at home and at the workplace, but that is just speculation.

~Treena

Bib: "Robot Recruiters." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 06 Apr. 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.

and the website link is: http://www.economist.com/news/business/21575820-how-software-helps-firms-hire-workers-more-efficiently-robot-recruiters

Summer reading preview for Martinsburg-Berkeley County

Summer reading preview

FUN Activities for ALL AGES!

Hedgesville: Movie Mondays, Preschool Hero Story-time on Fridays, Everyday Heroes on Saturdays

North Berkeley: Telling My Story on Tuesdays & Hero Themed Thursdays

Musselman-South Berkeley: Various Health/Fitness Superhero Programs on Thursdays and Saturdays & Healthy Lifestyles every Wednesday

Martinsburg: Creative Heroes, Heroes of Innovation, Unmask Your Brain and other Events for Children, Teens and Adults on Mondays, Fridays & Saturdays!

Summer Reading Program 2015 at Martinsburg

 Martinsburg Public Library's Summer Reading Program Preview

Summer Reading Program 2015 promises some interesting 

NEW concepts.  

Look for special programming on MONDAYS for young 

adults. Age specific programs will be offered in the

 “UNMASK!” program.  

Look for:

* Super Hero Yoga

* 3-D printing

* Improvisational       Dance

* Crafting with Computer Components

* Green Screen Technology

* Writers Workshops

* Hero Logo Design and much, much more

Programming for our younger children will occur on 

Fridays and Saturdays. 

Look for :

* Creative Movement

* Crafts including superhero book makers and mask making.

* Healthy Life Style story times.

* Yoga

* Family Field Day

* Books and so much more...

Registration for summer reading will begin on June 1 and continue through July.  Each young patron registered will receive a reusable book bag.  Of course the heart and soul of our program is reading.  

Start to keep track of the books read for a rewards book sale in August.  

Check it out on our webpage: martinsburg.lib.wv.us, on

 FACEBOOK, Martinsburg Children’s Library

 or call 304-267-8288

Martinsburg Children’s Programming @ a Glance

Martinsburg Children’s Programming @ a Glance

* May 2, 10am-2pm — Comic Con: Enjoy a popular culture celebration.

* May 4 & 18, 3-4:30pm — LEGO Free-Play

* May 9, 10:30am — “Book to Movie”, Paddington Bear

* May 16, 23 & 30, 10:30am — Stories on Saturdays & Crafts

* May 24 & 25 — Closed for Memorial Day

NORTH BERKELEY LIBRARY'S May activities

NORTH BERKELEY LIBRARY

Preschool Story Time and Craft | Thursdays @ 10am | April 7, 14, 21 & 28

Homeschool Connection |
    

May 13 @ 10am     Vegetable Gardening

May 28 @ 1pm        Flower Gardening

Friends of North Berkeley Library Meeting | May 21 @ 6pm | Advocate for YOUR library! Join our friends group that meets on a monthly basis!

Falling Waters Battlefield Assoc. Meeting | May 14 @ 6:30pm | The public is welcome to this always interesting and informative presentation of the Civil War as it affected the Eastern Panhandle!

Genealogy Club | May 13 @ 1pm & May 21 @ 6pm 

BOOK GROUPS:

Spring Mills Readers | May 27 @ 1pm | 

Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman.

#READ | May 19 @ 5pm | 

Middle schoolers to discuss The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars.

Mini-Renaissance Fair | May 23, 10am-5pm | 

The Shire of Sylvan Glen (SCA) will once again take us back to the Middle Ages.  Come out to see such events as knife throwing, archery and armored combat, or enjoy the arts and music that the association presents.  There is something here for every age and every person who asks what it was like in the Middle Ages!  Event hosted by The Friends of North Berkeley Library.

TUESDAY NIGHTS @ THE LIBRARY, 6pm:

May 5--Lego Free Play

May 12--Outdoor Games

 and Activities

May 19--Friends of NBL

meeting

May 26--Lego Club with Special guest