Bringing up baby in the 21st Century

At the beginning of the 20th century, a parent might have considered themselves to have done a good job if their children were clean, housed, fed and healthy. At the beginning of the 21st, this role had expanded to include the provision of advanced education, prolonged financial support, detailed psychological encouragement and personal fulfilment. With the bar set so high, is it any wonder that parenting advice has become such a wildly successful publishing phenomenon? (Text adapted from AustralianPolicyOnline). Click here to read this article from the

Australian Review of Public Affairs.

What is bX Recommender?

CSU Library now subscribes to a new service from SFX called bX Recommender.

bX Recommender will suggest alternative or companion scholarly articles when using the SFX feature of a database - similar to the Recommendations for You feature of Amazon.

Can't find the article you're after in full-text? No worries, as bX Recommender will provide you with the most similar results available in CSU Library's subscriptions. This service is available in all databases which use the SFX feature, such as EBSCOhost, Emerald, Informit, Ovid and even the Google Scholar search engine.

Additionally, bX Recommender also allows you to export the recommended articles into your EndNote Library. Simply select the citation, and use the Save Citations drop-down box to select EndNote.

If you've used bX Recommender, why not let us know what you think of it? Simply fill out a Comments and Suggestion form to provide us with valuable feedback.

New eBooks

Below is a selection of new eBooks added to the collection this week:

• A Companion to Bioethics - Covers all the material that the reader needs to thoroughly grasp the ideas and debates involved in bioethics. Check Availability

• Advancing Nursing Practice in Pain Management - Showcases the development and evaluation of innovative examples of pain management initiatives by advanced practitioners. Check Availability

• An Introduction to Distance Education : Understanding Teaching and Learning in a New Era - Outlines the practical skills and information that are essential to effective distance education design, delivery and navigation. Check availability

• Carjacked : The Culture of the Automobile and its Effect on our Lives - Sheds new light on the complex impact of the automobile on American society and shows us how to develop a new and healthier relationship with cars. Check Availability

• Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment - Provides guidance on custody cases, expert witness assessment, and substance abuse assessment. Check Availability

• Learning with Online and Mobile Technologies : A Student Survival Guide - Shows you the many ways in which online and mobile technologies can be used for study and give you guidance on how best to use them. Check Availability

• Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing - A comprehensive, evidence-based text for nurses and midwives caring for sick newborn babies. Check Availability

• Oral Microbiology at a Glance - The ideal companion for students of microbiology, all students of dentistry, and early career clinicians. Check Availability

• Orphaned by the Colour of my Skin : A Stolen Generation Story - Provides an in-depth account of one person's experiences as a 'Stolen Generation' Aboriginal Australian.Check Availability

• Teaching Secondary Science : Constructing Meaning and Developing Understanding - A comprehensive guide to all aspects of science teaching, providing a wealth of information and ideas about different approaches. Check Availability

Click on Check Availability to access these titles.
The full list of new eBooks can be accessessed here and more information on eBooks is here.

Informit Database Disruption

Due to a core IT infrastructure upgrade, access to Informit databases may be disrupted for periods from 7.00 am to 1.00 pm on Sunday 27th June 2010 (Australian Eastern Standard Time - GMT+10).

There may be no access to Informit during this time.

We apologise for any inconvenience, and appreciate your patience.

Securing the future: long-term plan for the Coorong Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth

This report from the South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage outlines a long-term plan for the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region and has been developed with input from community, scientists, industry and government. It includes some very interesting graphics. (Text adapted from AustralianPolicyOnline). Read the full report here. Photo Flickr: Luke Tscharke

Seeing is believing...or is it?

3D is the new black - it's everywhere at the moment. 3D TV, 3D movies, 3D video games etc. If the advertisements are to be believed, the addition of the Z axis and depth perception is the most important development in the history of mankind.

3D TV in Australia has backed the 2 biggest sporting events of 2010, State of Origin and the FIFA World Cup to sell to the masses. Avatar brought 3D back to cinemas, and it now seems like every blockbuster or family movie will be in 3D (Clash of the Titans, Shrek, Toy Story & Tron for example). Meanwhile Sony's Playstation 3 is now capable of 3D display and is banking on big franchises such as Killzone, Gran Turismo, Crysis and Mortal Kombat to entice gamers to make the switch.

If you've seen 3D, you would surely have seen the glasses. If they aren't a shining endorsement for avoiding the third dimension I'm not sure what is. Check these things out:

But what if we could view stereoscopic 3D without the glasses?

Enter the Nintendo 3DS. A new portable gaming machine that displays in stereoscopic 3D without the need for glasses. In addition, this machine has a 3D slider control to increase or decrease the intensity of the 3D imagery. 'How does it work?', I hear the masses ask. While the technology hasn't been officially detailed, we'd have to assume that it involves some kind of optical trickery.

This concept got me thinking about other great optical illusions, and you'll see some of my favorite examples below. Mighty Optical Illusions has a massive collection of optical illusions, and is a fantastic resource.

Dominant Colour Test
What colour are the arrows? Your initial answer will help determine your dominant colour.

Afterimage
Stare at the black dot in the middle of the flag for about 60 seconds. Then look at a white piece of paper. The true colours of the flag should magically appear.


Rotation Illusion
Which way are the red stripes spinning?


Disappearing Illusion
Concentrate on the below image. Do you still see the yellow dots?


So the question remains - Will you wear those silly 3d glasses? Is stereoscopic 3D the final frontier in terms of entertainment displays? And can you really trust what you are seeing?

New eBooks

On a lighter note for the break, below is a selection of general reading eBooks added to the collection this week.

• Snitch: Crooked cops and Kings Cross crims by the man who saw it all - A fast and furious journey into Sydney's dark underbelly. Check Availability

• A Book of Nonsense - One of the world's most loved writers, Lear's verse has delighted whole generations of readers. Check Availability

• Sex, Bombs and Burgers: How war, porn and fast food created technology as we know it - A fascinating examination of how much of modern life can be directly traced to one of three questionable aspects of human activity - war, porn, and the fast food industry. Check Availability

• A History of India - Provides an updated narrative of the development of Indian society, culture, and politics from 7000 BC to the present. Check Availability

• Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Climate Change and Energy in the 21st Century - Assesses the sensible, senseless and biased proposals for averting the potentially disastrous consequences of global warming - Check Availability

• Gadi Mirrabooka : Australian Aboriginal Tales from the Dreaming - Introduces wonderful tales from the Dreamtime, the mystical period of Aboriginal beginning. Check Availability
  

• Harvest of Fear : A History of Australia's Vietnam War - Aims to offer an understanding of how the war came about, how Australia came to be involved, and why Australian involvement was the cause of such division at home. Check Availability

• Tasmania's Convicts - Tells the history of the men and women transported to what became one of Britain's most notorious convict colonies. Check Availability

• Yoga Body : The origins of modern posture practice - Explains how the most prevalent forms of postural yoga came to be the hugely popular phenomena they are today. Check Availability

• Yoga for Dummies - The long-awaited update of the trusted yoga book. Check Availability

But, on a more serious note for the students that are still studying:

• Advanced Practice Nursing: Core Concepts for Professional Role Development - This highly acclaimed book remains the key title serving graduate-level advanced practice nurses (APNs) and recent graduates about to launch their careers. Check Availability

• Christianity and Human Rights : Christians and the Struggle for Global Justice - Includes essays by prominent figures in fields such as law, philosophy, psychology and theology. Check Availability

• Freedom of Information: The law, The Practice and The Ideal - Provides a unique legal analysis of freedom of information law and data protection laws. Check Availability

• Motivating Students to Learn - Offers a wealth of research-based principles for motivating students to learn. Check Availability

• Rural Nursing: Concepts, Theory and Practice - Provides the knowledge, skills, and insight nurses must acquire to meet the unique needs of rural populations. Check Availability

• The Psychology of Eating: From Healthy to Disordered Behavior - An overview of the latest research into a wide range of eating-related behaviors. Check Availability

Click on Check Availability to access these titles.
The full list of new eBooks can be accessessed here and more information on eBooks is here.

Google to digitise 400 years of European history

Google has secured a deal with Austria's national library to add 400,000 copyright-free books to their already hefty 12 million book digitisation project.

The books, covering 400 years of European history, make up one of the world's five biggest collections of 16th- to 19th-century literature, with the collection totalling a whopping 120 million pages.

While many have criticised Google's efforts to make offline books searchable on the internet, the head of the ONB library, Johanna Rachinger has said that the library hopes the project will help in the preservation of their original works in the event of disaster or protect against the ravages of time.

You can read more about this collaboration on The Age website.

The new project is scheduled to begin in 2011, but in the meantime, there are plenty of books already available to search on the Google Books site.

Ride the Wave

Google Wave is now live and open to anyone with a Google account after 12 months in an invitation only trial state.

So now the question must be asked: Does Google Wave live up to the hype, or is it a wipeout?

Before we pass judgement, lets take a look at what Google Wave claims to do:

Sounds pretty cool right? Sounds like collaboration just got a whole lot easier. Sounds like the integration of Google Docs, Google Maps, Youtube and other productivity extensions would spell an end to the tried and true methods of offices around the world. Right?

So why is Google Wave copping such a (sea)spray?

Why are close to 17,000 people claiming that it's easier to understand the mating habits of the red-sided garter-snake than it is to understand Google Wave (amongst other outlandish claims)?

And why has Google Autocomplete turned against it's brethren?

Enough of us dumping on it, let us know what you think of Google Wave by voting below.

Ancient law threatens freedom of speech

Elizabeth O'Shea writes that organisations that speak out against government policy could face action from bodies such as the Tax Office. The High Court of Australia will this week hear a case about freedom of speech and the role of public watchdogs. (Text adapted from AustralianPolicyOnline) Read the full text of this National Times article here

Reserve Bank of Australia articles

The Reserve Bank of Australia may not always be in everyone's good books, but they've just released their June bulletin and it features a number of interesting articles you might like to check out:

Banking Fees in Australia - download the full article (PDF 237K)
Abstract: The Reserve Bank has conducted a survey on bank fees each year since 1997. In 2009 growth in fee income increased slightly from recent years though it was again slower than growth in banks’ balance sheets. Growth in fee income was higher for businesses than for households. Banks reacted to the financial crisis by competing more aggressively for deposit funding which resulted in total fee income from deposit accounts falling, and repricing loan products which contributed to an increase in fee income from lending.

Housing Turnover and First-home Buyers - download the full article (PDF 262K)
Abstract: While housing turnover varies over time, on average, around 6 per cent of the housing stock, or around 500,000 dwellings, change ownership each year. In 2009, first-home buyers accounted for an unusually large share of this turnover, although this share has since declined. As first-home buyers make greater use of mortgages to fund purchases than do repeat buyers, this shift in the composition of turnover helps to explain the recent divergence in movements in housing prices and loan approvals.

Demography and Growth - download the full article (PDF 339K)
Abstract: Substantial demographic shifts are under way in many countries which could have a sizeable impact on trend growth rates over coming decades. This article explores some of these demographic developments, particularly in relation to population growth and age structure, for a range of economies. It also examines some of the direct effects that these changes could have on average growth over the next 10 years.

There are more articles and speeches available to download from the Reserve Bank of Australia June Quarter bulletin page, or you can choose to download the complete bulletin (PDF 896K).

New eBooks

Below is a selection of new eBooks added to the collection this week:

• A Dictionary of Australian Politics - A comprehensive and lively guide to Australian political language. Check Availability

• Accounting Best Practices - Includes 90 new best practices. Check Availability

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support : A Guide for Nurses - Provides the theoretical background to resuscitation as well as explaining the essential resuscitation skills required to manage an adult cardiac arrest. Check Availability

• Creative Problem Solving for Managers : Developing Skills for Decision Making and Innovation - Provides an essential introduction to the ideas and skills of solving problems creatively. Check Availability

• Cyber Law and Cyber Security in Developing and Emerging Economies - Conveys a subtle understanding of the ways public and private sector entities in developing and emerging countries adopt cyberspace processes. Check Availability

• Genetics for Dummies - This non-intimidating guide gets you up to speed on all the fundamentals and the most recent discoveries. Check Availability

• Marketing : The Basics - Everything you need to know about the techniques marketers use to push their product to the ‘tipping point’. Check Availability

• Play for Children with Special Needs : Supporting Children with Learning Differences, 3-9 - Emphasises the importance of creating an environment where children become confident, independent learners, increasingly able to use their imaginations, care for others and to take safe risks. Check Availability

• Research Methods for Sports Performance Analysis - Explains how to undertake a research project in performance analysis. Check Availability

• Romantic Comedy - Examines the history of the genre, considering the social and cultural context for key developments in new genre cycles. Check Availability

• The Brotherhoods : Inside the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs - The definitive account of bikie culture in Australia. Check Availability

• The Philosopher's Toolkit : A Compendium of Philosophical Concepts and Methods - Provides the necessary intellectual equipment to engage with and participate in effective philosophical argument, reading, and reflection. Check Availability

• The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change : A Guide to the Debate - Clearly lays out the scientific foundations of climate change, the issues in current policy debates, and the interactions between science and politics that make the climate change debate so contentious and confusing. Check Availability

• Worst Case Bioethics : Death, Disaster, and Public Health - Written at the intersection of law, bioethics, public health, and human rights. Check Availability

View more new eBooks here select the week then the 'E-Resources (web sites, electronics books)' link.
More information on eBooks is here.

A library without books?

Teacher librarians who have moved from a traditional school library model and then developed an information services unit are today generally very well positioned to continue to play a significant role in the school (Text adapted from AustraliaPolicyOnline). Read the journal article here.

This weeks New eBooks

Below is a selection of new e-Books added to the collection this week:

• Atlas of Small Animal Wound Management and Reconstructive Surgery - Essential information on basic principles of wound healing, wound management, and common wound complications. Check Availability

• Basic Statistics : A Primer for the Biomedical Sciences - Presents relevant, up-to-date coverage of research methodology using careful explanations of basic statistics and how they are used to address practical problems that arise in the medical and public health settings. Check Availability

• Bone Marrow Pathology - Provides information on all common disease entities, but also covers rare disorders in which bone marrow examination is useful. Check Availability

• Cinema : A Visual Anthropology - Provides a clear and concise summary of the key ideas, debates, and texts of the most important approaches to the study of fiction film from around the world.Check Availability

• Cinema Wars : Hollywood Film and Politics in the Bush-Cheney Era- Explores the intersection of film, politics, and US culture and society through a bold critical analysis of the films, TV shows, and documentaries produced in the early 2000s. Check Availability

• Do-It-Yourself Web Sites for Dummies - With simple, step-by-step instruction that will build your confidence as you build your site. Check Availability

• Environmental Health : From Global to Local - An overview of the methodology and paradigms of this burgeoning field. Check Availability

• Hollywood Blockbusters : The Anthropology of Popular Movies - Original insights into modern film classics, American culture, and anthropological theory - will appeal to students of Film, Media, Anthropology, Sociology, and Cultural Studies. Check Availability

• Horse Business Management : Managing a Successful Yard - Down-to-earth and highly readable, this book demonstrates how to apply modern business theory to create success. Check Availability

• Oral Medicine and Pathology at a Glance - Provides a concise and accessible introduction and revision aid. Check Availability

• Responding to Problem Behavior in Schools : The Behavior Education Program - This bestselling book has been used in schools across the country to establish efficient and cost-effective systems of Tier II positive behavior support. Check Availability

View more new eBooks here select the week then the 'E-Resources (web sites, electronics books)' link.
More information on e-Books is here.

Protecting Human Rights in Australia

Hilliary Charlesworth discusses issues concerning Australia and the possibility of a bill of rights. Australia is the only Western democracy without some form of a bill of rights. Some deplore this state of affairs as a fundamental weakness in our polity, while others regard it as proof of the genius of Australian democracy. (Text adapted from AustralianPolicyOnline.) Read this Australian Review of Public Affairs article here