Category Archives: Hot Topics
Billy the Kid vs. Pat Garrett: An Old West Showdown
By Lindsay Roseberry, Reference Department
On July 14, 1881, Billy the Kid was killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Those are the facts, nothing but the facts. Oh, but the legends on these two and how they are linked forever in history makes this killing as important as the OK Corral in the annals of history.
Billy the Kid
So, who exactly was Billy the Kid? History gives him several names: probably born as Henry McCarty, and took the aliases Henry Antrim and William H. Bonney. Information is sketchy about his early years: it is known that he was born in New York City in to a poor Irish family. Not much is known about his early years but he ended up in New Mexico Territory in 1873. Again, not much is known about him at this time, but 4 years later he arrived in Lincoln County, New Mexico. This is where he makes history, mostly of the notorious type.
Lincoln County had just been established and was divided between two factions of cattlemen, the John Tunstall/ Alexander McSween side and the James Dolan faction, allied with the county sheriff William Brady. William Bonney (Billy the Kid) joined the Tunstall side, which was ultimately the losing side as well. Each faction had enforcers (gunfighters and criminals). Tunstall was murdered and in revenge, his men, “the regulators”, killed the sheriff. That brought on what came to be called the Lincoln County War, a five day gunfight and siege battle. The regulators were surrounded, McSween was murdered and the Tunstall men that were able to escape scattered. Billy the Kid was on the run for two years before being captured by Pat Garret the first time. The Kid was tried, convicted and incarcerated. He escaped from jail, after shooting both guards, and rode off into the sunset—for a while.
Pat Garrett
And Pat Garrett?? More is known about him (there usually is for lawmen). He was born in Alabama in 1850, but the family moved to Louisiana in 1853, and lost everything after the Civil War. In 1869, he headed west, resurfacing in 1876 as a buffalo hunter. As the buffalo disappeared, he headed to New Mexico territory. He became a ranch hand for Pete Maxwell, married and had children. Pat Garrett was sworn in as the new sheriff of Lincoln County in 1880 with the understanding that he would clean up Lincoln County. Several times he almost caught Billy, but each time he slipped away or Garrett was given the wrong information. He finally caught him, arrested him and put him in jail. Garrett was away from jail when the Kid escaped. Eight months later, Garrett found out that Billy was staying with Pete Maxwell, at his ranch. He came at night, and shot and killed Billy the Kid.
Almost immediately, Billy the Kid became a folk legend, which in turn mage Garrett seem an assassin. Garrett wrote a book about tracking and killing Billy. It didn’t sell well, but has become quite the collectible. The book was later found to be full of errors and imaginative tales. It was ghost written by a friend of Garrett. Pat did not run for sheriff again, but moved with his family to Texas and briefly became a Texas Ranger. He returned after a year or so to Roswell, New Mexico where his ranch was. He had several businesses that never prospered and moved back to Texas in 1892. In 1896, he returned to New Mexico where he was appointed sheriff of Dona Ana County. He was nominated by President Teddy Roosevelt as customs officer in El Paso, and confirmed by the Senate. He burned his bridges with Roosevelt and was in deep debt the rest of his life. He also was highly disliked for killing Billy, as the Kid had become a folk hero. He was shot in the back as he was going from his ranch into town. His murder was never solved.
Dick Brewer, Billy the Kid, and the Regulators by John Hacker, and Andy Thomas
As time passed, some people started the rumor that Pat Garrett either shot somebody else and claimed it was Billy or helped him fake his death. Someone even claimed to be Billy in the 1940s. Even so, historical records show that Billy’s body was identified by several different people—most generally agree that Pat Garrett got the right man—Billy the Kid.
Interesting Facts:
- Billy the Kid was involved in at least nine murders. He was said to have committed as many murders as he had years—he was killed at age 21. (He may have been his own best publicist.)
- Over 50 movies have told this famous historical event. He worked on his reputation before his death, and afterward his legend only grew. The first movie was the silent film in 1911, entitled Billy the Kid. Other stars who played him on the silver screen have been Paul Newman, Val Kilmer and Emilio Estevez (in Young Guns, which we have in our collection.)
- When Bill Richardson was governor of New Mexico, Billy the Kid found another champion. Richardson was a New Mexico history buff and was publicly thinking about pardoning William Bonney posthumously. Before Billy the Kid died, he appealed to then governor, Lew Wallace (who while in office wrote Ben Hur!) for a pardon for his role in the Lincoln County Wars. Wallace agreed, but the pardon was never given to him because he was killed. So when Richardson was thinking about this pardon, he churned up old history. The descendants of Pat Garrett started a petition to stop the pardon from going ahead. Bill Richardson is no longer governor of New Mexico, so this pardon will never happen, but it just goes to show that the past is not that far away.
Is Williamson County the Australia of America? Williamson County’s Most Feared Bugs
By Lance Hickerson, Reference Department
Someone told me they thought that living in Williamson County is like living in the “Australia of America.” Just like in Australia, there are many strange bugs here as compared to the rest of the world. This is most certainly an overstatement, but due to our mild winters, Williamson County does have significant insect concerns. Some insects are mostly nuisances, such as Japanese Beetles munching on tree leaves. Other insects, however, can cause significant injury or damage. What follows are five of the bugs of Tennessee that register higher degrees of fear among residents of our area. We will go from number five to number one.
Numbers Five and Four: Hard working but harmful Beetles or Borers. Most give little thought to various beetles that fly about our area, but those who manage our forests and those who love beautiful landscape trees soon learn to respect the menace that certain beetles pose. Landowners and cities see some of their favorite, older shade trees die within three years after being attacked by the Southern Pine Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer.
5. Emerald Ash Borers (EAB)
Adults are dark green and fly in Tennessee especially in May and June. They spend the rest of the year as larvae eating away under the bark of ash trees, leading to the decline and death of their host tree. EABs emerge from the trees as adults and leave a small, distinctive D-shaped hole in the bark.
4. The Southern Pine Beetle
It is native to our area, causing extensive damage to pine trees during times when its population expands. When Tennessee’s southern pine beetle population gradually began to build in 1998, the beetles killed close to 350,000 acres and $358 million of pine in the years that followed.
3. Imported Fire Ants (IFA)
Lest the reader think I am exaggerating, I will quote from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture regarding this newcomer to the county which has a low tolerance for humans.
Imported Fire Ants (IFA) were accidentally introduced into the United States from South America, beginning in about 1918, and have spread to many counties in Tennessee, including Williamson County…. Imported Fire Ants are very aggressive when disturbed and cause a painful sting that produces a small white pustule about 8-24 hours following the sting.
Fire ant colonies build mounds that may be 10 inches or more in height, 15 inches or more in diameter, and 3 feet or more in depth. ….
Imported Fire Ants cause harm and economic losses in a variety of ways. Stings from fire ants inflict intense pain to millions of Americans each year with thousands requiring medical treatment. A small number of people develop a life-threatening allergic reaction to IFA stings. The number of human fatalities resulting from IFA stings is not known due to lack documentation. However, there have been confirmed deaths due to IFA in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Imported Fire Ants also attack and kill domestic animals and wildlife as well as destroy seedling corn, soybeans, and other crops. Fire ant mounds can damage farm equipment and lawn mowers. IFA are attracted to electrical equipment and chew on insulation, resulting in short circuits and interference with switching mechanisms. Fire ants can shut down air conditioners, traffic signal boxes, and even airport runway lights. Approximately $2 billion in damage, including costs for insecticide for fire ant suppression and eradication, is caused by IFA in the United States each year.” [https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/article/ag-businesses-ifa]
Wiki commons “Face of a southern yellowjacket”
2. Yellowjackets (Paper Wasps, and Hornets runners up)
UT Assistant Professor of Entomology, Karen Vail, tells us: “Yellowjackets are often considered the most dangerous stinging insects in the United States. They are more unpredictable than honey bees and will sting readily if their nest is disturbed….. During late summer and fall, yellowjacket colonies are near maturity and large numbers of workers forage for food. Sweets support large populations of foraging
wasps. They are particularly fond of sweets (e.g., fruit, soft drinks, ice cream, beer), but they will also eat meats, potato salad and just about anything we eat.”
Many county residents are unaware of where yellowjackets build their paper nest. They nest mostly underground, which makes their presence harder to detect. They can be highly aggressive and sting multiple times.
Public Domain, Wiki
1. The Brown Recluse Spider
The most feared bug of Tennessee as reported by several exterminators is the brown recluse spider.
Most of us are familiar with the Brown Recluse, if not by sight, then certainly by its reputation. I have unfortunate personal experience with the Brown Recluse, receiving two bites over the years that left the horrendous pain and scars that their bites can sometimes do.
So I am an informal “expert” on the spider, trying to avoid being bitten again. I even discuss them with our “bug man” exterminator named Joe from All-Pest Solutions, who sprays our house four times a year. He recently added to my knowledge about the spider when I explained the enormous size of one I saw last week. The “bug man” said that Recluses do get that big, but no bigger. What I saw was likely a female adult (larger than the males) in her prime (who can give birth to 130 little recluses just like that). So they will be around.
But the exterminator also gave me some good news. He said, “Did you know that they can’t bite you without help? Their mouths are too small. They have to be mashed or pushed into the skin, most often by ourselves, and then they have the force to bite.” I asked for clarification, “You mean if one just gets on you, or you hold it in your hand, it can’t bite you?” “Yes, that’s right. They have to have help.” That was news to me, and good to know.
Something else came out about the spider during my second bite (this one to the temple of my head from lying on an old, rolled up blanket for a pillow while camping). The venom of the Brown Recluse is interesting. It is only 15% or so actual poison, so it basically tricks the body into turning on itself in reaction. It is powerful through deception. Further, unlike the immediately painful and burning bite of the Black Widow spider, the Brown Recluse bite seldom hurts at first. In fact, the venom, for the first 24 hours, tends to create a state of euphoria (extreme gladness) in the human victim. I experienced this very thing. But afterward, the effects of the tricky venom begin to turn living tissue into dead tissue. The victim must wait and see just how deep the wound will go.
Check Out from Total Boox
By Lisa Lombard, Reference Department 
Total Boox is an app that provides another way to read digital books while you are on the go or at home sitting in your favorite reading spot. The app is available for Android, Amazon Kindle and iPad users. Some great features of this app include; no waiting lines, you can read books offline (you only need to be online to download books), there is no return date, and once the book is on your device, it stays on your device until you decide to delete it. So you can keep books on your device for as long as you have the app and read them as many times as you want without having to re-download. Another perk of this app is that if you get a new device all of your books will be automatically downloaded onto that device so you do not have to search for them again. I’m going to take you through the app from start to finish and I hope that you will consider adding this as a way to read more books in the future!
If you need visual help to learn how to use the app you have two options. One option is a user guide located at the bottom of every page under the heading “readers” and shows you how to best use each section (pictures are provided as part of the guide). The other option is a YouTube tutorial.
An important detail is making sure you get the app that is for libraries so you have FREE access to books. Once you have downloaded the app and open it you will be prompted to login. To login make sure you have Williamson County Public Library selected then enter your library card number and pin, the next screen will ask for your email address.
Once you have completed those steps you will be taken to the “home” screen which in this case is the “My Library” page. From here you have two options: you can either click on “Get Books It’s Free!” or the “+” to create a new shelf. By tapping on the “Get Books It’s Free!” iconic book you will be taken to a page that has several options. These options include sections titled “editors’ picks,” “featured authors,” and “just arrived” sections and have several books to browse through by scrolling right to left. By tapping on a book cover you will be given the synopsis of the book along with the option to read it or download the book, by selecting to read, it will automatically open and if you select download the book will be placed on your “My Library” page.
The other ways to find books include the search area (great for if you know the title or author), browsing through the categories tab or browsing through the shelves tab. If you want to search by category you are in luck there is a wide variety of categories to choose from, 28 total. Of those 28 categories, 18 have sub-categories. This is a great way to browse for something if you have a specific idea in mind or you know you want a historical fiction book. The shelves tab is an awesome option for getting a lot of books from specific categories onto your “My Library” page quickly. For example, there is a shelf titled “Great books to take on your next flight.” In this shelf there are a total of 15 books (for right now), a brief description of the type of books in the section, who shared the shelf and when it was last updated. By clicking on the download button all 15 of these books will be available to you with the shelf title on your “My Library” page. None these books are automatically downloaded to your device you still have to click on “read” to have them available to read without the internet.
Once you have a book open there is a pop up tool bar (tap in the empty area on the bottom of the page) with 5 options at the top: Home, Table of Contents (for the current book), Font size, Browse Bookmarks (for browsing where you have placed bookmarks for the opened book before), and Add a Bookmark. Also to be found when you tap in that empty space is a drag bar that allows you to jump further ahead or behind in the book which is much easier than going page by page.
Back on the “My Library” page you can create your own shelves by moving around the books you have downloaded or selecting “copy” from a book that’s on another shelf and moving it to the desired shelf. You also have the option to delete your books when you desire, all you have to do is tap on the book cover and select the delete option.
While you might not find the most popular books and authors in this app I think it’s worth the time to get to know and it search around, because you will find classics, books in your favorite genre you wouldn’t of normally read and who knows what other good books you might run across. I already have a shelf downloaded and two books ready to read!
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
By Lindsay Roseberry, Reference Department
What’s the best 3D movie:
A Play!
Ever since plays moved to the screen, back when they were black and white with text dialogue, movie makers have been trying to recreate that feeling of being in the middle of the action, of the immediacy of the people on stage. But no matter what they add (sound, color, 3D effects with glasses), I doubt they will ever be able to recreate the feeling of closeness and investment that you get from attending a play, which is why they’re still amazingly popular today. So in honor of the longevity and popularity of plays (in particular Shakespeare’s), let’s take a look at one of the most famous stages in history: the Globe Theater.
The Globe Theatre was built in six months in 1599 by William Shakespeare’s company, run by Richard Burbage—Shakespeare had a small stake in the theatre. It was a three story, open-air amphitheater that could hold up to 3,000 people. There was standing room area at the front where the poor could watch the play for a penny. There were three tiers of seats; the fee increased by one penny as the tiers rose. Those who sat of the fourth tier were paying four pennies, and they were the richest audience members. They would have to stand up during the whole play. During bad weather, the plays were put on elsewhere, often at other theatres with roofs.
Then a tragedy occurred on June 29, 1613; London’s Globe Theatre burned down. Of course, in the time of thatched roofs, wooden building and torches and other open flame lighting, buildings burned down all the time. The fire started during a performance of Henry VIII, probably when the cannon on stage misfired, (that’s what you call a realistic performance). The sparks caught the thatch on fire and spread rapidly to the wooden beams. It was lucky that the only reported injury was a man whose pants were on fire; he was able to put them out with a bottle of ale.
In 1614, the Globe theatre was rebuilt by Burbage and Shakespeare, and this theatre was running until 1642, when it was shut down by the Puritans. All theaters were. The Puritans outlawed gambling, bawdy plays, prostitution and many more fun activities. That was one reason, perhaps the main one, which was Cromwell’s downfall. Charles II reinstated all of the vices, but The Globe was never rebuilt.
In 1949, actor Sam Wanamaker went to see the sight of the original Globe Theatre. He was very disappointed that there was no memorial to Shakespeare. In 1970, he formed the Shakespeare Globe Trust, which constructed a replica of the Globe Theatre near the site of the first one. The theatre opened in 1997; the first play was Henry V. The theatre still stands today, thanks to much better fire retardant materials! They did top the roof with thatch though. It just wouldn’t be right otherwise.
In the 1990, the new Globe Theater was built, some distance away from the site of the first one. While they were excavating, they found the pit area of the theatre lined with hazelnut shells, the detritus of years of the poor standing room only eating food and dropping the shells. This did cushion the feet of those standing to watch the plays.
Interesting facts about the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre:
- During Shakespeare’s day, theatre companies advertised what plays they were putting on with flags: white for comedy, red for history and black for tragedy.
- The city of London did not allow theatres to be built in the city proper. All theatres were built along the South Bank, where most of them still are today.
- The Globe was built to look like the Colosseum in Rome, but on a smaller scale.
- The Globe was closed several times because of outbreaks of the plague or the Black Death.
THINKING ABOUT ADOPTING A CAT OR DOG?
By Sharon Reily, Reference Department
“Who rescued who?” This touching (although grammatically incorrect) sticker seems to be attached to every other car bumper in Williamson County. As the sticker makes clear, giving a home to a needy animal does not only benefit the animal. But a successful pet adoption that works for both the animal and the adopting family is a serious undertaking that deserves careful consideration and lots of planning and preparation. It’s an obligation that can last more than a decade. Not everyone is up to the task. If you’re in the market for a new pet, the list of adoptable critters is endless – you can adopt homeless turtles, cockatoos, rabbits, horses, even spiders! Since we’re in the middle of “puppy and kitty season,” when shelters are swamped with unwanted litters, let’s concentrate on the ins and outs of dog and cat adoption.
WHY ADOPT?
The Humane Society of the United States has compiled a list of the top reasons to adopt a pet:
- Save a life. Each year 2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the U.S. This number could be reduced if more people adopted pets instead of buying them.
- Get a great animal. Shelters are full of wonderful, healthy animals, many of whom ended up there through no fault of their own.
- It costs less. A purebred dog or cat purchased from a breeder can cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. The MUCH lower adoption fees often include the cost of spaying/neutering, first vaccinations, even microchipping.
- You can fight puppy mills. If you buy a dog from a pet store, online seller or flea market, there’s a good chance it will come from a puppy mill. Puppy mills are breeding factories that put profit over animal welfare, and the animals often live in deplorable conditions. Puppies from the mills are often ill and have behavioral issues. By adopting a pet, you won’t be giving the puppy mills a dime.
- Your house will thank you. Lots of rescue animals are already housetrained. Give your rugs a break!
- Pets are good for you! Not only do animals give you unconditional love, but they have been shown to be psychologically, emotionally and physically beneficial to their companions. Caring for a pet can provide a sense of purpose and lessen feelings of loneliness.
- Adopting helps more than one animal. Many shelters are overcrowded, and when you adopt one animal, you make room for others. Adoption fees allow shelters to offer better care for their animals.
- You’ll change a homeless animal’s whole world and get a new best friend out of the deal!
Included in the “Resources” section at the end of this article is a list of books about people whose lives have been improved by adopting an animal. Have a box of Kleenex handy when you read them.
BEFORE YOU ADOPT:
Think hard and ask yourself a lot of questions before you make the decision to adopt a pet.
- Why do you want a pet? As a travel companion? To cuddle with on the couch, go for strenuous runs and hikes, or something in between? Analyzing your reasons for adopting can help you determine what sort of pet to look for.
- What kind of dog or cat do you want? High energy or mellow? Large or small? Long hair or short hair? Affectionate or more independent? Male or female? Puppy or senior? Once you’ve decided what type of dog or cat works best for you and your family, stick with the decision. Don’t fall for the first adorable puppy or kitten you meet.
- Take your family’s feelings into consideration and make sure everyone is one board with bringing home a new pet.
- Can you afford a pet? The cost of food, regular vaccinations, spaying or neutering, toys and other supplies adds up. A serious injury or illness can break the bank.
- Do you have time to devote to a pet? Dogs, exotic birds, and cats need lots of daily interaction, but even “pocket pets” like mice and hamsters need supervised time outside their cages. If you work really long hours or travel a lot for work, adopting a pet might not be your best option.
- Do you have enough physical stamina to take care of a pet? Cats like a lot of play time and dogs have to be walked. Some high energy dogs need more than an hour of exercise a day.
- Are you honestly ready for the responsibility? Cesar Millan, the “Dog Whisperer,” offers this clue: Look at your closet. Is it neat and organized? That may sound odd, but Millan says the state of the closet has always been a true test of a person’s ability to provide a pet with a structured life that has rules, boundaries and limitations. Yikes – good thing nobody checked my closets before I got my dog!
- Are you prepared to handle some of the physical and emotional “baggage” that rescue pets can bring with them?
NEW PET PREP
So you’ve decided to adopt and you’ve found the right pet. There’s still a lot to do. The following should all be in place BEFORE you bring home your new pet.
- Create a plan with your family to divide up the responsibility of caring for your new pet. Who is expected to do what and when?
- Decide where your dog will stay during the day and where it will sleep at night.
- Pet proof your house. Put cleaning products, poisonous plants and any foods toxic to cats or dogs out of reach. Tape electrical cords to baseboards. Put away any small items that could be choking hazards. You might want to roll up and put away expensive rugs until you determine your new pet’s level of housetraining.
- Buy basic supplies. For a dog: high quality dog food, a crate of the appropriate size with a crate mat, food and water dishes, sturdy chew toys, a cozy bed, a collar with an ID tag including your cell number and address, a leash, dog shampoo, brush, and nail clippers. For a cat: High quality cat food, food and water dishes, litter box or boxes and cat litter, toys, a scratching post, cat shampoo, brush and nail clippers. Try to purchase the same kind of food the animal has been eating, and if you want to try a different brand, introduce it slowly by adding increasing amounts of the new food to the old food.
- Have an appointment already scheduled with a veterinarian so you can have your new pet checked out as soon as you collect it.
BRINGING YOUR NEW PET HOME
First of all, be patient! Moving to a different home will be stressful for your new pet. It might take anywhere from six to twelve weeks for it to become fully adjusted to its environment. Here are some tips to make your new pet’s transition run smoothly:
- Introduce family members and other pets in a controlled way. Try to do this in a calm, quiet manner.
- NEVER leave a new dog unsupervised around children.
- If you’ve adopted a dog, seriously consider using a crate, which will aid in house training and prevent destructive behavior. Feeding your dog in its crate and making sure the crate contains toys and a comfy mat may make it more appealing. WCPL has some good books that include tips on crate training.
- Spend as much time with your new pet as possible.
- A little exercise may make your new dog feel better. Check with your vet for your dog’s appropriate level of exercise and don’t overdo it.
- Keep things quiet and calm for the first few days. Don’t let your new pet get too excited.
- Realize that even if your new pet is already house trained, it may have a few accidents until it settles in.
REAP THE REWARDS
If you do your homework and follow through on the prep, planning, and day-to-day care of your new pet (with lots of love and patience tossed in), you will have an amazing addition to your family. I’m not ashamed to say that when I was a kid my two best friends were a dog and a cat. I can’t begin to describe all the ways these beautiful little creatures enriched my life. There are thousands of wonderful dogs and cats just like them out there who need great homes. Go rescue them!
NATIONAL AND LOCAL PET ORGANIZATIONS
The following sites offer general information about pet adoption.
- American Cat Fanciers Association
- American Kennel Club
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- Humane Society of the United States
Local Adoption Agencies and Organizations:
- Agape Animal Rescue
- Clover Patch Sanctuary (rabbits, birds and small animals)
- Critter Cavalry Rescue
- Happy Tales Humane
- Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue and Sanctuary
- Snooty Giggles
- Williamson County Animal Center
If you are interested in a specific breed of dog or cat, many shelters often have purebred animals available. In addition, almost every breed has its own rescue organization. Just Google the name of the breed and “rescue” (for example, “basset hound rescue”).
How to Find Reliable Information on the Internet
By Cindy Schuchardt, Reference Department
The Internet can be both bane and blessing if you are researching information. While the World Wide Web allows almost immediate access to information around the globe, it also provides the perfect setting for those seeking to dupe a consumer, perpetuate a rumor, create a scare, or push an agenda. It is therefore crucial to evaluate online resources before believing them or using the information they contain.
Ask Some Questions
Evaluating information starts with asking yourself some questions. One way to do that is to turn to the 5 W’s – who, what, where, when and why.
Who?
- Who is responsible for the information on the site? Is the site owner clearly identified with contact information provided?
- What does the domain extension for the site tell you about the information owner? A non-profit organization is typically indicated by .org, an educational institution by .edu, a commercial site by .com, a small business by .biz, and a government site by .gov.
- What do you know about the site’s owner or publisher? Is he or she a recognized expert with credentials provided? Does the site represent a particular, subjective viewpoint, or can it be considered a reliable, objective information source?
What?
- What is the purpose of the site?
- What type of information are you finding? Does it seem credible? Is it professionally presented and without obvious typos or grammatical errors?
Where?
- Where did the information owner or publisher get his or her information? Are sources cited? Are additional resources cited?
- Where is the organization or owner located? Is there a contact address provided that helps to legitimize the source?
When?
- When was the information written? Is it timely, or is it hopelessly out of date? Has it been recently updated?
- Are any links included still current? Or do they lead you on a wild goose chase?
Why?
- Why was the site created? Does the organization state a mission, goal or objective?
A quick run-through of these questions can help you to get a sense for the integrity and usefulness of a website. There are no guarantees, however. The caveat of “buyer beware” or “reader beware” should be kept in mind.
The good news is that you don’t have to go it alone. Your library can help with your research needs, guiding you to carefully vetted sources of information and free, specialized online research tools.
Use Our Online Resources
If you need help finding trustworthy information on a particular topic, you’re in luck! WCPL has a variety of resources available to help you:
- Our Articles and Databases collection is accessible 24/7, so you can use it while visiting any branch library, at home, or on-the-go. Just use your library card number or password to access remotely. You’ll find resources on the Arts, Education, Health, History, and more.
- The Gale Directory Library features “51 trusted directories on companies, publishers, associations, and more—sources that cannot be found elsewhere on the Internet.” Try using this resource for your business, research and homework needs.
- The Gale Virtual Reference Library has reference e-books and encyclopedias that cover business, cultures, history, literature, science, technology, travel and more. It is similar to the great Reference section that we have upstairs in the Main library, but you can use it from the comfort of your home.
- Our Helpful Websites page features an assortment of free, informative websites that can help you with homework, research, and other informational needs. We did the groundwork for you, so you can start with a list of reliable sources on a given topic, rather than trying your luck with Google.
Take a Free Class (or Two)!
Don’t be overwhelmed by the Internet! Come to our Surfing the Web 101 class to learn the basics. We will introduce you to web browsers and search engines, teach you how to search online, and help you to evaluate what you find there.
Our computer class schedule is published monthly. Just call us or visit the web page to see what we’re offering, when.
Ask a Librarian
Last, but definitely not least, ask a librarian (or a reference assistant). We can help you find information at the library or in our digital collections. You can use our online form, email us with your questions , or call us during regular library hours at 615-595-1243.
Better yet, stop by the Main library and ask us in person. We’d love to meet you and help with your information needs! And if nothing else, remember the CRAAP test.
Sources:
May Is National Pet Month
By Stacy Parish, Children’s Department
Furry or feathered? Scaled or smooth? If you are considering getting a new pet or adding an additional beastie to your home, these are only two of the many questions that you must ask yourself and your family members, of the two-legged and four-legged variety, because your existing pets are also family.
National Pet Month was created as a celebration of the joys that pets bring to people’s lives, and vice versa. Some of the aims of National Pet Month are:
- Promoting the benefits of pet ownership
- Supporting pet adoption
- Increasing awareness of the services available from professionals who work with animals
- Raising awareness of the roles, contribution, and value to society that service animals provide
If you are already sharing your home with a pet, here are a few fun suggestions to celebrate National Pet Month:
- –Do a photo shoot or a YouTube video with your pet! Who knows, your segment with Captain Fluffypants could be the next viral sensation, maybe even with more “hits” than a Kardashian video.
- –Look into creating a “Take Your Pet To Work Day” at your place of employment. (Hey, if they let human children do it, why not the animal children? I bet you a box of Milk-Bones that some of them would be better behaved and more pleasant to have around for the day than the humans. Just sayin’.)
- –Got a hipster cat or a feline princess? Make them a customized bed that matches their personality. Pinterest has squillions of ideas.
- –Get off the couch! Hit your favorite dog-friendly park with your pooch for some new training, such as jumping through a hula hoop or learning to respond to hand signals, or just take a leisurely stroll along the trails and enjoy the day. For your feline friend, teach your cat to walk on a leash so she can enjoy the outdoors, too. Make sure you and your pet stay hydrated while playing outside.
- –Be a “pet whisperer” and learn to decipher your dog’s or cat’s body language.
Certainly, not everyone can (or should) have a pet. However, this doesn’t preclude your ability to contribute to enriching the lives of domestic animals. If you choose not to share your home with a pet, please consider making a donation to a local or national animal welfare organization. There are several listed at the end of this article.
I hope you have purr-fectly enjoyed this blog, and that I haven’t driven you barking mad. (OK, y’all know I can’t make it through a blog without at least one pun, right?)
Local resources:
- Happy Tales Humane Shelter
4001 Hughes Crossing, Suite 161, Franklin TN
615-261-7387
“Happy Tales Humane is a privately funded no-kill animal shelter. We envision a world where every companion animal is loved, wanted, and nurtured. Happy Tales is committed to our mission of providing human, no-kill options for homeless and neglected animals in Middle Tennessee.” - Snooty Giggles Dog Rescue
www.snootygiggles.com
SGDR began when founder Shawn South-Aswad and her husband began taking in a few dogs who needed a place to stay until they could find their own home. As time passed, they developed an affinity for “senior” and medical needs dogs that were being overlooked by the general rescue population. SGDR has now grown into a foster team of more than 50 families who open their homes and hearts to these amazing dogs and foster them until the perfect match of a forever home is found. - Williamson County Animal Center
106 Claude Yates Drive, Franklin TN
615-790-5590
www.adoptwcac.org
The Williamson County Animal Center is a public open-intake shelter serving the citizens of Williamson County, Tennessee. The shelter is a county tax-funded agency caring for domestic animals, and enjoys the distinction of being a 2nd place winner in the 2014 ASCPA Rachael Ray Challenge.
As always, the opinions and viewpoints expressed here belong solely to the author, who is owned by 4 cats (Roxie, Pearl, Blackie Lawless aka Boo, and Jack Bauer), a betta fish named Swimmy Hendrix, and a leopard gecko who goes by the name Charmian, which means “little joy.” No animals were harmed during the making of this blog.
You’ve All Heard of Limericks, I’m Sure
By Lon Maxwell, Reference Department
Limericks can even be done for Math!
You’ve all heard of Limericks, I’m sure
Whether racy or actually pure
They’re funny old rhymes
From good old times
And the good ones are rarely demure
They all start in jolly old Britain
Whose poems were occasionally written
In lyrical styles
To bring forth some smiles
And the poets were instantly smitten
City of Limerick, Ireland
The name, it comes from good green Erin
The Maigue Poets used to declare in
the city, Limerick.
Those bards got a kick
from the poetry style used there in.
The transition to bawdier verse
(Or something ocassionally worse).
The decade was roaring
and not a bit boring,
still, reactions were quite terse.
Original Edward Lear Limerick
There once was a man, name of Lear
Who wrote them, though not very clear
His meanings were nonsense
With ridiculous contents
And his fame stretches from then to here
Some people delight to change form
From the meter and scheme as a norm
They sometimes depart
On whole, a la cart
But can do so in in whatever manner they choose and still leave it mildly humorous
So let us praise the limerick this way
On this, the Limerick’s Day
They bring joy and delight
And the length is just right
Except like now when I’m carried away!
As one last PS I must add
A very hard time I have had
To not use Nantucket
Or mention a bucket
But I know that would really be bad.
Adventures in Digital Storage (in honor of Preservation Week)
By Lance Hickerson, Reference Department
“Today, the average household creates enough data to fill 65 iPhones (32gb) per year. In 2020, this will grow to 318 iPhones.”
This is a conclusion from the seventh EMC Digital Universe study at Hopkinton, Massachusetts highlighting a special concern with how “data is outpacing storage. The world’s amount of available storage capacity (i.e., unused bytes) across all media types is growing slower than the digital universe.”
Concerns about digital storage and preservation are not new, but they are now more pressing. Michael Irving, of New Atlas, explains how “even the best of our current range of devices are only relatively short-term solutions to the problem. Hard drives, and optical storage such as DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, are vulnerable to damage and degradation, with a life expectancy of a few decades at best.” Irving continues:
Scientists are increasingly looking to nature’s hard drive, DNA, as a potential solution to both the capacity and longevity problems. As our own bodies demonstrate, DNA is an incredibly dense storage medium, potentially squeezing in a mind-boggling 5.5 petabits (125,000 GB) of information per cubic millimeter. By that measure, according to University of Washington professor, Luis Ceze, all 700 exabytes of today’s accessible internet would fit into a space the size of a shoebox. You could then tuck that shoebox away in a vault for thousands of years, and the DNA-stored data would remain intact.
Indeed, digital storage modeled on DNA is a promising solution. But until it becomes more than experimental, what should we do in the meantime? For instance, what if you have just been chosen as the archivist for a massive collection of family photographs? How would you choose to store the data? In addition to preserving the actual physical photos, what is the best approach from a digital point of view? After the photos are scanned, what is the best way to store them as digital documents?
A helpful answer comes from Denise May Levenick, who inherited her family photo treasures. She shares tips and techniques for preserving a collection in her latest book, How to Archive Family Photos: A step by step guide to organize and share your photos digitally (Family Tree Books: Cincinatti, 2015. In our library nonfiction section under 745.593 May). It is good to keep in mind that, although focusing on photos, the principles she outlines apply to more than photo collections.
One important decision for digital material concerns negotiating different file formats. Ms. Levenich explains about using JPG and TIFF files.
JPG is a file format that uses compression when saving files and is called a lossy file format because repeated opening and saving of JPG files deteriorates the image quality over time. TIFF is a file format that does not use compression when saving files and is considered a lossless format because it maintains its quality over time.
What this means for preservation is that the TIFF lossless format better maintains the digital data than the JPG format, which loses quality with use. One concern with TIFF files, however, is that TIFF is sometimes unreadable by various programs. In this case, our staff librarian photo buff, Rebecca Tischler, recommends saving picture files in PNG. PNG, pronounced “ping,” stands for the Portable Network Graphics format which compresses information in a lossless manner, meaning all the image information is there when the PNG file is decompressed. Further it neither degrades nor loses information with saving, restoring, or resaving like the JPG. Don’t count out the JPG, however, as it has its uses too, one being the JPG can preserve a lot more color than the PNG.
Once your format is chosen, it is necessary to back up your photo files. Ms. Levenick recommends the 3-2-1 rule.
- 3 Copies
- 2 different media
- 1 copy stored off-site
She explains, “Many different combinations will provide a good backup solution, but the key to a great backup system is to spread out your copies across different media and different storage locations. When hurricanes and tornadoes wipe out a home and family photo collection, it’s reassuring to know that digital copies are safe in the cloud, or stashed at a relative’s home in another state. Don’t wait for a disaster to safeguard your precious family memories. Practice the 3-2-1 Backup rule regularly, especially after a major scanning session.”
Sources:
- https://www.emc.com/about/news/press/2014/20140409-01.htm
- Michael Irving, “New record for storing digital data in DNA” in New Atlas (July 11, 2016)
- http://newatlas.com/dna-data-storage-record/44273/
- Denise May Levenick, How to Archive Family Photos: A step by step guide to organize and share your photos digitally (Family Tree Books: Cincinatti, 2015), pp. 108-109; 126.
- The Data Deluge: An e-Science Perspective, Tony Hey*(Tony.Hey@epsrc.ac.uk) + and Anne Trefethen*(Anne.Trefethen@epsrc.ac.uk),UK e-Science Core Programme
Heritage Display March 2017
By Rebecca Tischler, Reference Department
Last Month, we had an interactive display upstairs. Patrons could add their ancestry to a world map and see where some of their neighbors came from as well. Some had many ancestries, and some only had one, but it was interesting to see how diverse our patrons were.
And those who didn’t know their background, we pointed them to the Special Collections department, where patrons can get some help doing genealogical research with databases such as Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest. If you want to know more about where your family comes from, ask one of our wonderful Special Collections Librarians for help.
But for now, take a look at all the responses that were left at the display.
English, Welsh, Polish, German, French, Scandinavian, Scottish- Welsh
- Greek, English
- Snowbeast (AKA Canadian)
- Venezuela
- Indian
- Hispanic
- British
- Tamil, Hindi
- Prussia, Austria, Germany
- Italy, Germany
- Norwegian, German
- African American, German
- German, Prussian, Polish
- Scottish
- Thai
- English, Welsh, Italian
- Tamil, Hindi
- Alien
- Chinese
- China
- English, Scottish, Norman French
- Mongolia
- French, Great Britain
- German
- Brazilian
- Mexican, Spanish
- Mexican
- French, Mexican
- Italy, Germany, Europe
- English, Irish
- German, French, Irish
- Cuba
- Armenian
- Scottish, English, French
- Swedish, German
- Deutschland
- Swiss-German, English
- French, Irish
- Polish, English, Irish
- China
- Chinese, Hunan
- Thai, Chinese
- German, Swiss
- Antarctican
- Kiwi
- Canadian
- Pennsylvania Dutch
- Ireland, Germany
- Guatemala
- At this library we found out the Hill family from Texas is the Hill family from ESSEX U.K.!
- Irish, Italian
- Norwegian, Icelandic
- Czech, Dutch, German, English
- Norwegian, French, Polish
- Brazilian, Italian, Irish, English
- Irish, German
- Mexican
- Tartar Kazakhstan
- Italy
- Swedish, English, Scottish, Irish
- Scottish, Scandinavian, Polynesian, German
- Mexicana Latin of African and Spanish ancestry
- Venezuela, Peru
- Black, Irish, Blackfoot
- Balkar
- Cherokee, English, French, Scottish, Irish, German, Swiss, Nordic
- Germany
- Mexico
- Mexican
- Spanish, Mexican
- Columbian
- Portuguese, Spanish, Brazilian
- Mexican
- Indian, German, Dutch, English
- Italy
- Syrian
- European
- Vietnamese
- Anglo-Irish, German-Polish
- Scottish, Welsh, English
- Spanish, Scottish, French, Polish, Welsh, Irish
- Haitian
- Irish, Cherokee
- Spanish, Italian, Greek, English, Scottish, Irish, Moroccan
- Indian, Irish, German, English
- German, English, Irish, Dutch
- Spanish, Scottish, Irish, English, Danish, German, French, Ecuadorian, Incan
- Ghanaian, Haitian
- German, Irish, Scottish
- English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, Swiss German, Cherokee
- Haiti
- Celts, France, Ireland, England/Wales
- French, Scottish, Cherokee
- Canadian
- Italian
