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Solar Eclipse Viewing @Sciences Library (East Campus) | 11:30am-3pm, Monday, August 21

total exclipse graphic from Nasa

total exclipse graphic from NasaOn Monday, August 21st 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible in the United States. During this rare event, the moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and therefore blocks the light of the Sun. In Iowa City, we can observe a partial eclipse. The Sun will be 92% obscured by the Moon. The partial eclipse will begin at 11:46 am CDT, reach maximum eclipse at 1:12 pm, and end at 2:37 pm.

On campus from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM, the Department of Physics & Astronomy, the Sciences Library, and the Museum of Natural History are pleased to offer two eclipse viewing stations: On the Pentacrest and in the courtyard outside the Sciences Library. Each viewing station will be equipped with telescopes and free eclipse glasses. Faculty, staff, and student experts will be on hand to demonstrate safe viewing techniques and answer questions.

In case of cloudy skies or if you want to see a total solar eclipse, you can watch live video streams of the eclipse at https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive. Or stop by the Sciences Library to watch on the big screen!

Check out the LibGuide for this event  Map to Sciences Library

Location: Science Library Courtyard: 120 E Iowa Ave
When: Monday, August 21st 2017
Times: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Relax & Enjoy The Tao of Statistics!

For someone who did not do well in my college statistics course (read: I did not do AT ALL well….), The Tao of Statistics: A Path to Understanding (With No Math) sounded intriguing. The intriguing part, I’ll admit, is the “No Math” part of the subtitle…

The author, Dana K. Keller, PhD, has a unique and balanced approach to statistics and data. He has explored Taoism and Eastern philosophies for nearly 5 decades – including teaching in China and Tibet. His PhD is in measurement, statistics, and program evaluation.  The goal of this book? “To introduce readers to the commonly encountered terms and techniques in statistics through verse, graphical illustrations, and accompanying text. No equations are used. [emphasis mine!]. The result is an understanding of each concept that is created without having to do math.” (again, the emphasis is mine!). In the introduction we are told, “you do not need to know how to calculate statistics to understand what they are telling you.” This sounded promising to me!

I think we all know how important statistics are. They are, after all, constantly present in our daily lives. We use statistics all the time – often without thinking about it. Listen to the evening news and pay attention to how often statistics are used to illustrate and back up those news stories. We look at our typical gas mileage, current road and weather conditions, and use that information to to figure out how far we can make it before we need to stop to refuel on our way to that vacation destination…

From “The Tao of Statistics.” Illustrations by Helen Cardiff.

So, where do we start? On page 1. “The world of statistics starts with a question, not with data.” Statistics are important when they are about things that we, as humans, consider important.  And from that simple beginning, Keller carefully, and thoroughly, explains what statistical terms mean. Each term – such as reliability, central tendencies, standard deviations and variance, probability, etc. – has its own brief chapter. Chapters are generally one page long, but not over 3 pages and only deal with that particular facet of statistics.

If statistics terms had been explained to me like this I might have done much better in my college course!

The book follows two professionals with very different careers and their concerns with statistics and how they are used. One is a high school principal who uses statistics to discern differences in quality and other characteristics of classes taught in his high school. The other professional is a director of public health. She has questions about how well the residents of her state are meeting national guidelines for public health issues. Using these professionals as examples helps put the differing uses of statistics into real-life situations.

So, why do (most) students dislike statistics so much? In the chapter, “Averages – Central Tendencies,” Keller explains it this way, “Many students first come to dislike statistics when introduced to central tendencies. This is no surprise. The topic begins by making something complicated that should be simple: an average.” He then succinctly explains the average in one page, summed up with the saying:

Mean, median, mode
What’s an average to do?
Ask the data

 

Keller also provides vivid (understandable and memorable) examples of statistics terms. For example, when explaining the term “mean,” he states: “When one foot is in scalding water and the other in ice water, how consoling is it that, on average, the temperature is fairly comfortable? Think about interpretations of the mean.” Not sure about you, but that is a visualization that I probably won’t forget!

Want to understand the difference between consistency and reliability? The example of three archers and where their arrows land on the target explains them very well (chapter 17)! And once you’ve read that explanation, the saying at the beginning of that chapter should help you remember!

Again and again
Arrows tightly bunched
Where?

 

Keller also addresses the ethical use of statistics – the potential for stereotyping and dangers of “unreflectively” using statistics. Throughout the book he looks at the pitfalls of misinterpreting data, using data in the wrong ways and our own bias – whether conscious or unconscious.

 

From “The Tao of Statistics.” Illustrations by Helen Cardiff.

For those of you who are now intrigued with the world of statistics and want to explore further – including the mathematical aspects – we have resources ranging from Introductory Statistics to statistics dealing with very specific areas (Statistical Thermodynamics of Semiconductor Alloys, for example!) to Statistics Done Wrong : the Woefully Complete Guide!

Keller suggests the best way to read this book is to, “Take your time. Breathe deeply and slowly. Relax. Let the world pass you by.” So, kick back, relax and experience The Tao of Statistics!

Resource:

Keller, Dana K. 2016. The tao of statistics : a path to understanding (with no math). Los Angeles : SAGE.  Engineering Library QA276 .K253 2016

Other Resources:

Weiss, N.A. 2016. Introductory statistics. Boston : Pearson.  Engineering Library QA276.12 .W45 2016

Elyukhin, Vyacheslav A. 2016. Statistical thermodynamics of semiconductor alloys. Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Oxford, UK ; Waltham, MA : Elsevier. Engineering Library TK7871.85 .E49 2016

Reinhart, Alex. 2015.  Statistics done wrong : the woefully complete guide. San Francisco : No Starch Press. Engineering Library QA276 .R396 2015.

 

Discover health science images and how to use them | Workshop Thursday, July 27, 1-2pm

image of Hardin Library

Instructor Heather Healy, Clinical Education Librarian

Using images can add interest to your assignments and presentations and publications, but do you know where to find good images and how to ensure that you use those images ethically?

This workshop will help you understand copyright, creative common licenses, and public domain. You will also learn where to search for stock and health sciences images and how to cite your images appropriately.

For individual instruction on this topic, please contact your liaison librarian.  Register online or by calling 319-335-9151

Our next session:
Thursday, July 27, 1-2pm (Information Commons East, 2nd Floor)

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program please call Janna Lawrence at 319-335-9871

 

Learn how to get better PubMed results | Workshop Wed. July 26, 11am-12pm

image of Hardin Library

PubMed is the National Library of Medicine’s index to the medical literature and includes over 26 million bibliographic citations in life sciences. This one-hour session will show you how to improve your search results by using subject headings (MeSH) and advanced keyword searching techniques. For individual instruction on this topic, please contact your liaison librarian.

Our next session:
Wednesday, July 26, 11am-12pm (Information Commons East, 2nd Floor)

Register online or by calling 319-335-9151

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program please call Janna Lawrence at 319-335-9871

ANDRÉ DU LAURENS | July 2017 Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room @Hardin Library

picture of King Henry IV with crowd

ANDRÉ DU LAURENS (1558-1609). De mirabili strumas sanandi vi solis Galliae regi-bus christianissimis divinitus concessa liber unus. Paris: Apud Marcum Orry, 1609.

Du Laurens taught at Montpellier until 1598 when he was called to Paris as court physician. In this position he eventually became personal physician to Marie de Medici and King Henry IV.

picture of King Henry IV with crowd

Folding copperplate engraving showing King Henry IV administering healing touch.

During the Middle Ages, tuberculosis of the lymph glands of the neck was very common and was known variously as scrofula, struma, and the “King’s Evil.” For centuries it was believed that the “royal touch” could cure this disease and many English and French monarchs were in the habit of touching their afflicted subjects during major religious holidays.

Du Laurens was a firm believer in the effectiveness of the “royal touch” and, in this work, reports that King Henry IV often touched and healed as many as 1,500 individuals at a time.

The University of Iowa copy has an interesting provenance and can be traced back to original owner Jean Auguste de Thou, who died in 1617.

You may view this book in the John Martin Rare Book Room, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences. Make a gift to the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences by donating online or setting up a recurring gift with The University of Iowa Foundation.

Thanks for Air Conditioning!

Yup, it’s July and the temperature is climbing. Time to head inside where it is cool and inviting. Thank heavens for that air conditioning! Ever wonder what they did before the air conditioner was invented? How the modern-day air conditioner evolved? Ever really want to say “thank you” to the inventor of that wonderful a/c?

Ancient Romans pumped water from aqueducts through the walls of their buildings in order to cool them. In Southeast Asia wet grass mats were hung over windows to lower the temperature inside homes. In the 1840s, Dr. John Gorrie of Florida came up with a method of cooling cities and hospital rooms and ridding them of “the evils of high temperatures.” Unfortunately, his system required shipping blocks of ice from frozen lakes and streams in the north to Florida… He was granted a patent in 1851 for a machine he designed which created ice using a compressor powered by a horse, water, wind-driven sails or steam. That technology didn’t make it to the marketplace.

In 1902, Willis Carrier began working for the Buffalo Forge Company where his job was to find a solution to the humidity problem. The high humidity was causing magazine pages to wrinkle at Sackett-Wilhelms Lithography and Publishing Company. He designed a system which controlled humidity using cooling coils and was granted a patent in 1904. He realized that his system of humidity control could be used in many other industries and at the St. Louis World’s Fair his system was used to cool the Missouri State Building. That was the first time the public had access to comfort cooling. In 1922 the first air conditioner was installed at the Metropolitan Theater in Los Angeles. A new system which used a centrifugal chiller was installed at the Rivoli Theater in New York that same year.

 

Milam High-rise Air Conditioned Building, San Antonio. 1928. photo credit: ASME

 

In 1928 the Milam Building in San Antonio became the first high-rise air conditioned building. In 1929 Frigidaire introduced a new room cooler small enough for home use. It was, however, heavy and quite expensive. That design was improved upon and by 1930-31 General Electric began producing 32 prototypes of a self-contained room cooler. Breakthroughs continued and by 1947 43,000 window air conditioning units were sold and homeowners were able to enjoy air conditioning in their own homes. By the late 1960s many homes had central air. Air conditioning technology has continued to evolve – becoming more energy efficient. Some of that new technology includes solar cooling systems (check out our resources for more information!)

Air conditioning technology is also used to refrigerate food for storage and transportation. So, when you step outside your air-conditioned home to grab a treat from the ice cream truck – you can thank Willis H. Carrier!

 

Resources:

Challoner, Jack; editor. 2009. 1001 inventions that changed the world. Hauppauge, NY : Barron’s Engineering Library T212 .A12 2009

Black, Jennifer M. 2014. Machines that made history : landmarks in mechanical engineering. New York, NY : ASME  Engineering Library T15 .B58 2014

The Invention That Changed the World. 2017. Weathermakers to the World.  Carrier United Technologies.

Lester, Paul. July 20, 2015. History of Air Conditioning.  Department of Energy.

About Willis Carrier. 2017. United Technologies Corp. Carrier.

Apparatus for treating air.google patents. US8080097 A.

Milam High-rise Air Conditioned Building.  ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers). Date accessed: July 20, 2017.

Other Resources:

Sarbu, Ioan. 2017. Solar heating and cooling systems  fundamentals, experiments and applications. London ; Sad Diego, CA : Academic Press Engineering Library TH7413 .S37 2017

Kohlenbach, Paul. 2014. Solar cooling : the Earthscan expert guide to solar cooling systems. London ; New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group : Earthscan from Routledge. Engineering Library TH7681.9 .K64 2014

Castilla, Maria del Mar. 2014. 2014. Comfort control in buildings. Dordrecht : Springer. Engineering Library TH6021 .C664 2014

Whitman, William C. 2013. Refrigeration & air conditioning technology. Clifton Park, N.Y. : Delmar Cengage Learning. Engineering Library FOLIO TP492 .R45 2013

Residents | Services for you

picture of doctor's white coat

Hardin Library provides a variety of services to help you succeed!  picture of doctor's white coat

Your department has a specialist librarian
Every department is assigned a liaison librarian, who can help you with all of your questions about the library and its resources.

Evidence-based medicine resources
Hardin subscribes to DynaMed, the Cochrane Library, JAMAevidence, BMJ Best Practice, and more.

Board review materials
Board Vitals provides question banks, with feedback, for most specialty boards.

Assistance with literature searches and systematic reviews
The UI Libraries subscribe to hundreds of online databases, focused on a variety of disciplines and implementations, from point-of-care to basic science research. Your liaison can help you choose the right databases, the right headings, and the right strategy.
Health Sciences databases
All databases

Easy access to electronic journals and an app to help you read them on mobile devices
A-Z list of electronic journals – we may have other issues in print as well!
Browzine app for iOS, Android and Kindle lets you make a customized newsstand of journals to browse, read, and monitor.

Help with your systematic review or meta-analysis
The Institute of Medicine recommends working with a librarian or other information specialist to plan out your search strategy and to peer-review the final strategy used.

Free interlibrary loan and document delivery
If you need an article or book that the UI Libraries doesn’t have, we can get it for you, for free. And if you need an article that we only have in print, we will scan it for you.  No limits on the number of requests!

EndNote Desktop and other citation management software
EndNote is freely available for residents, and your liaison can work with you to tame your references.

Mobile resources
Hardin subscriptions provide access to many mobile apps at no charge to you including UpToDate, DynaMed Plus, ClinicalKey, BMJ Best Practice and more.

Hardin Open Workshops
Hardin librarians offer monthly workshops on topics like PubMed, EndNote, and avoiding predatory publishers. We can also bring any of our sessions to you individually or to your group.

Quick help when you need it
Whenever the library is open, we have trained reference staff available to answer questions by phone 319-335-9151, email lib-hardin@uiowa.edu or chat.

Individual and group study/work space
Hardin has individual and small group studies, as well as study carrels and tables. The 24-hour study is available to any UI-affiliated user who registers to use it.

Books and DVDs for entertainment or families
As the 34th largest research library in the US, the UI Libraries system has thousands of DVDs and millions of books in many languages including Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Arabic as well as a large collection of children’s books.  Search the catalog to find them.  Materials can be sent to Hardin Library for pickup.

Solar Eclipse – 8/11/2017

Solar eclipse sequence

Solar eclipse sequence

Have you heard the news? On Monday, August 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible in the United States! During this rare event, the moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking our view of the Sun. While some areas of the country will see a total solar eclipse, in Iowa City, we will see a partial eclipse. At the maximum at 1:12 PM, 92% of the Sun will be obscured by the moon.

To learn more about this exciting phenomenon, check out our guide or stop by the Sciences Library to see our new exhibit. And on August 21st, join us at the Sciences Library for an Eclipse Viewing Party!