News and announcements from the New York State Library http://www.nysl.nysed.gov http://www.nysl.nysed.gov http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/images/nysl140.jpg 120 50 News From NYSL The New York State Library's web site, catalog and digital collections will all be unavailable from 5 p.m. on Friday evening, May 2nd through noon on Sunday, May 4th because of scheduled building maintenance. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/power.htm Tue, 29 April 2008 08:40:00 EDT This class is an introduction to patent searching using the US Patent Classification System. It will include a guide to all of the resources available on the USPTO's web site and an introduction to PubWEST, a more sophisticated patent search system available only at the NY State Library, other Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries and at the USPTO Public Search Room in Alexandria, VA. Bill Schilling, Senior Librarian, will conduct the class. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EDT Trademarks are a valuable way for businesses to identify and market their goods or services. This class will cover unregistered trademarks as common law rights and registered trademarks at the state and federal level. It will also cover doing a federal trademark search on the United States Patent and Trademark Office's web site and a brief introduction to filing for a federal trademark electronically. Bill Schilling, Senior Librarian, will conduct the class. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EDT Speaker Leigh Davies, Coordinator of the Creative Arts Therapy Program at Russell Sage College, will offer a general overview of Art Therapy including appropriate populations and settings, its history, its benefits and how it is presently situated in the world of therapy. Art Therapy is best understood when experienced so an effort will be made to allow a mini-experience. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EDT The New York State Library, in cooperation with the Mid-York Library System, has scheduled a Basic Outcome-Based Evaluation (OBE) training workshop in May 2008. The workshop will be held at the Mid-York Library System on May 15 and 16. These OBE workshops are designed for staff from all types of library systems and central libraries who are engaged in training. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/obe/wrkshp08.htm Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:21:00 EDT Lists of the newest books added to the Library's collection were posted on April 4. Lists are divided into 34 subject areas, ranging from Agriculture to Law to Zoology. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:25:00 EDT Philip A. DiGiorgio, a partner with the Pierro Law Group, will conduct this class on Estate Planning. He will provide a broad overview of wills, trusts, long term care planning, advance directives such as health care proxies and powers of attorney. In addition Mr. DiGiorgio will discuss estate and gift tax planning, and alternatives to Medicaid. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:16:00 EST Tom Shanahan, a registered lobbyist and head of the Shanahan Group, will explore the development of lobbying and the increasingly stringent regulations that govern it by using case studies going back more than 200 years. The talk also explores some proposed restrictions that may threaten the constitutionally guaranteed right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:16:00 EST Paul Rapp, Esq. will explore copyright law from its genesis in the 1600's to its applications today. Emerging problems with copyright in the digital age will be highlighted, including the tension between copyright law and "remix culture," the "Google books" controversy, and YouTube. He will provide an in-depth look at the music industry's attempts to stem online file-sharing by bringing mass lawsuits against consumers. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:16:00 EST The New York State Library is receiving $621,000 through the New York State Universal Broadband Access Grant Program for a statewide project entitled Bringing Broadband to New York's Libraries. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/broadbnd/ Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:15:00 EST Sponsored by The Right Move and the New York State Library. Games at 10:30, 11:40, 1:10, and 2:20. Trophies to the Top Three in each section; Medals to all who score 2.5 or more points in each section. Location: Student Center, 1st Floor of the State Museum, Madison Ave, Albany, NY. Register at www.maketherightmove.org, or call 212-729-7060. Play chess! Win prizes! Pizza lunch available for purchase! Free parking by the Cathedral and the Museum. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/chess08.htm Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:18:00 EST Lists of the newest books added to the Library's collection were posted on March 4. Lists are divided into 34 subject areas, ranging from Agriculture to Law to Zoology. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:40:00 EST The New York State Library's web site, catalog and digital collections will all be unavailable from Friday evening, March 7 through noon Sunday, March 9, 2008 because of scheduled building maintenance. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/power.htm Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:45:00 EST Susan Goodier, PhD, argues that the impact of the Great War in Europe on New York anti-suffrage women was overwhelming, a point few historians make. Virtually all the work of antis, and most of the funds they raised after 1914, went toward war relief or war preparedness efforts. Suffragists, conversely, were far more divided on the war issue. Acknowledging that suffragists were deeply divided in their support of the war belies the contention of the many historians who argue that women received the vote in gratitude for their support of American war efforts during World War I. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:35:00 EST Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) has entered into a partnership with IBM and New York State to apply high-end computational modeling in areas of nanotechnology and biotechnology. Over the last year, this partnership has made the world's most powerful academic supercomputer operational. According to the Top500.org list, this supercomputer is the 12th most powerful overall. Building on the intellectual strengths in science and engineering modeling and the acquisition of this system, this partnership is poised to provide insights and new design and analysis tools that are essential for growth in several critical high-tech industries. John E. Kolb, Vice President for Information Services and Technology at RPI, will describe the work to date in establishing the Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI) and a glimpse into the future. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:34:00 EST Many have argued, with considerable justification, that the Hudson-Mohawk region was the "birthplace of the American industrial revolution." P. Thomas Carroll, PhD, Executive Director of the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway, will review this interpretation and add another dimension. Upstate New Yorkers of the nineteenth-century cultivated infrastructure developments in transportation (including the Erie Canal), in education (including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), and in investment banking. Early on, they recognized that what they were doing would not improve the then-dominant rural-agrarian lifestyle, but would rather replace it with our "modern" urban-industrial way of life. Just as Silicon Valley enthusiasts breathlessly celebrate "postmodernism," yesterday's visionaries gushed about their millennial role and gave direction to some celebrated engineering innovations. Bring your lunch. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:33:00 EST The New York State Library is pleased to announce the first issue of a new electronic newsletter, Library News For You, for state agency employees. The newsletter, which will be published quarterly, contains information on programs and services of interest to New York State agency employees. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/nyempnews/libnews1.htm Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:25:00 EST The Winter 2008 edition of the Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) newsletter, Upstate Update, is now available on the Library's web site, in HTML, audio or podcast format. Upstate Update is published quarterly to keep TBBL borrowers informed of developments at State and national levels that affect their service. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/audio/win2008/ Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:12:00 EST The infamous "Whipple Report," a report of the special committee appointed by the New York State Assembly of 1888 "to investigate the Indian Problem of the State of New York" has been scanned and made available online in PDF format. The Whipple Report contains a list of 18th and 19th century treaties and other important documents related to the cession, sale and partition of land held by members of the "Six Nations" of New York State. In 1815, for example, representatives of the Seneca Nation sold the islands in the Niagara River to the State of New York for $1,000 (see Volume 1, page 211). The report includes a complete chronological survey of land deals and reprints land grants back to 1629. The report also features hundreds of pages of testimony by Native American leaders before the committee. The Whipple Report is one of many historic documents the New York State Library has made available online. http://purl.org/net/nysl/nysdocs/4709377 Tue, 5 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST Lists of the newest books added to the Library's collection are available. Lists are divided into 34 subject areas, ranging from Agriculture to Law to Zoology. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Tue, 5 Feb 2008 09:45:00 EST Senior Librarian, Stephanie Barrett will demonstrate the HeritageQuest and Ancestry online databases, both of which are accessible through the NY State Library. Through these databases learn how to access Census records, genealogy and history books, maps and more. Seating is limited and registration is required. This session will be held in the Library Computer Classroom on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center. Registration is required. No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST Paul Mercer, Senior Librarian in Manuscripts and Special Collections, will present a selection of songs from a unique manuscript songbook in the State Library's Collections. In December 1814, England and the United States signed the Treaty of Ghent marking the end of the War of 1812. For the 6,000 American Prisoners of War held in England's notorious Dartmoor Prison, the war did not end until well into the following year. The story of their captivity was told in a small manuscript song book kept by prisoner Thomas B. Mott "of the state of New York." Paul Mercer will perform songs from this collection, and discuss his extensive research into Mott's life and the experiences of the Dartmoor prisoners. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST Rick Tuers, Coastal Engineer for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, will share many stories of photographing and researching the Lighthouses of New York State. The history of New York State Lighthouses has been interwoven with the discovery, settlement, and industrialization of America, with their importance and construction increasing after the opening of the Erie Canal. Rick will discuss the many different types of construction used in towers and the fuels they use, as well as the physics and characteristics of the lenses that can project a beacon of light up to 22 miles. The 15 "Lost Beacons" will be included in the talk along with the 7 Hudson River Lighthouses and wonderful color photos of the 71 Lighthouses still in existence in New York. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:03:00 EST Darrell Welch, former Rare Books librarian with the NYS Library, will discuss the rare book collection at the NYS Library and highlight a representative selection of items. Among the treasures to be discussed and displayed will be the first English language description of New York - Daniel Denton's A Brief Description of New York Formerly called New Netherlands, 1670. Darrell will also talk about one of the first books printed in New York, Bradford's Laws, 1691, a book that marks the beginning of the modern legal system of government in New York. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:01:00 EST The Fall 2007 edition of the Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) newsletter, Upstate Update, is now available on the Library web site, in HTML, audio or podcast format. (Although the Library has been posting these newsletters in audio format for many years, with this issue the podcast was added so that users could subscribe once and then receive future issues automatically.) Upstate Update is published quarterly to keep TBBL borrowers informed of developments at State and national levels that affect their service. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/audio/fall2007/ Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:50:00 EST Lists of the newest books added to the Library's collection are available. Lists are divided into 34 subject areas, ranging from Agriculture to Law to Zoology. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/nbsubject.htm Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:55:00 EST Independent films, or "indies," are features and/or short movies made by individuals or production companies outside of the Hollywood studio system. Albany has a thriving indie filmmaking community, and two of its most prominent members, Bruce G. Hallenbeck and Jeff Kirkendall, will discuss the ins and outs of filmmaking on a shoestring, focusing on screenwriting, pre-production, casting and the entire process of making a film from conception to distribution. The filmmakers will also show clips from their productions to illustrate indie filmmaking techniques. This program will be held in the Carol Huxley Theater on the first floor of the Cultural Education Center. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:00:00 EST This class will teach participants how to use the LegalTrac and Loislaw databases to support legal research. LegalTrac is an index to over 1400 legal publications that includes law reviews, legal newspapers, and bar association journals. It also contains law-related articles from additional business and general interest titles. Coverage spans from 1980 and includes some full text articles. Training in Loislaw will focus on the Secondary Law section which contains Treatise Libraries and Bar Publications. This class will be held in the Computer Classroom on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. Seating is limited to 12. Registration is required... http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:05:00 EST Due to planned Department-wide maintenance, the New York State Library's Web site and catalog will not be available from 6:00 p.m. through 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 31. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/intrup10.htm Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:22:00 EDT This report summarizes the results of a two-year pilot testing the application of WebFeat federated search software for the online collections of the New York State Library and the collections of the NOVELNY pilot project. (Federated search software allows users to simultaneously search across multiple online resources, including subscription databases and web sites.) While cost considerations may limit its widespread adoption, the findings of the pilot program may be of interest to other libraries using, or considering implementation of, federated search. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/news/portal.htm Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:05:00 EDT The New York State Library (NYSL) has recently updated the section of its web site that deals with patent information. NYSL has been a U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Library since 1871 and its collection includes nearly everything the USPTO has published and distributed. These materials can be used for both patentability searches and historical inquiries. New additions to the site include information on conducting a patent search and links to online patent tutorials. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/reference/patents/ Fri, 12 Oct 2007 01:50:00 EDT Lists of the newest books added to the Library's collection are available. Lists are divided into 34 subject areas, ranging from Agriculture to Law to Zoology. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:30:00 EDT The New York State Library's web site, catalog and digital collections will all be unavailable from Friday evening, October 5, 2007 through Monday, October 8 because of scheduled building maintenance taking place throughout the Empire State Plaza. By 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 9, 2007 all systems will be back to normal. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/intrup.htm Wed, 26 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EDT The period between 1790 and 1850 was a time of dynamic change in New York State. There were revolutionary changes in agriculture, transportation, finance, communications and demography that would ultimately make New York State recognizable to twenty-first century people. Bob Arnold, Historian and Archivist, will present this program. (Thursday, October 11th, 12:15-1:15 p.m.in Librarians Room, 7th floor of the New York State Library. Feel free to bring your lunch.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:40:00 EDT This class is for grant seekers who want to learn how to write successful proposals. The class will focus on key components of a proposal, the overall proposal process and the best way to present the information. This class will be presented by Dr. JuWon Choi of the Foundation Center. (Thursday, October 18th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. in 11th floor Conference Room.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:42:00 EDT This class is for beginning proposal writers who want to learn the nuts and bolts of budget preparation to support their project proposals. Learn the essentials of project budget preparation and presentation in a grant proposal, including compiling both expense and income elements. This class will be presented by Dr. JuWon Choi of the Foundation Center.(Thursday, October 18th, 1:15-2:15 p.m. in 11th floor Conference Room.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:43:00 EDT Additional session scheduled for 10/2. (Sessions scheduled for 9/20 and 9/26 are full.) Big Online is an online database of grant-makers in the United States and Canada. It includes funding sources from private foundations, corporations and government programs. In this hands-on class on Thursday, September 20 from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Chris Szczerba, Senior Librarian, will show participants how to use search techniques and targeted language to retrieve foundation profiles, contact information, funding preferences and recent grants awarded. This session will be held in the Library Computer Classroom on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center. (No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:23:00 EDT 'The Great Railroad Strike of 1877' is an instructional packet on Labor History for teachers, particularly social studies and language arts teachers of grades 7, 8 and 11. The activities in the packet, which correlate with the New York State Learning Standards and Performance Indicators for the Intermediate and Commencement Levels, include seven student activities based on 15 newspaper articles from The Albany Argus and the Buffalo Morning Express. The packet was originally produced by The Friends of the New York State Newspaper Project as a loose-leaf book in 2001; it has now been made available online, in both HTML and PDF. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/teacherguides/strike/ Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:40:00 EDT Are you trying to find out where your ancestors came from or where they went? Federal records can help. From places of birth listed on census records to payment records for Federal military pensions, information on migration is readily available in Federal records, if you know where to look! On Friday, September 14th, from 12:15 to 1:15pm, Jean Nudd, an Archivist with the National Archives and Records Administration in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, will discuss strategies for researching family migrations. The presentation will be held in the Huxley Theater of the New York State Museum on the 1st floor of the Cultural Education Center. Feel free to bring your lunch. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:40:00 EDT Big Online is an online database of grant-makers in the United States and Canada. It includes funding sources from private foundations, corporations and government programs. In this hands-on class on Thursday, September 20 from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Chris Szczerba, Senior Librarian, will show participants how to use search techniques and targeted language to retrieve foundation profiles, contact information, funding preferences and recent grants awarded. This session will be held in the Library Computer Classroom on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center. (No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:40:00 EDT Insatiable demand and record prices at auction for fine art and artifacts have fueled new interest in the creation of deceptive forgeries, willful misattribution of property, and provenance. But advances in technology and manufacturing processes over the last ten to twenty years have also equipped scientists with a new arsenal of tools to distinguish masterpieces from fakes and forgeries. Join the Library and presenter James Martin, founder of Orion Analytical (a firm specializing in the examination and analysis of cultural property) on Friday, September 28th, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. for this program, which will be held in the Huxley Theater of the New York State Museum on the 1st floor of the Cultural Education Center. Feel free to bring your lunch. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:40:00 EDT This virtual exhibit highlights items in the Fred B. Abele Transportation History Collections, covering the period from 1905-1985, which the Library acquired in 2001. Beyond that, however, it provides an intriguing look at what goes on behind the scenes when the Library's Manuscripts and Special Collections unit acquires a new collection, processes it, and makes it available to researchers. (August Feature) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Wed, 8 Aug 2007 10:10:00 EDT A finding aid, or collection guide, is now available online for the Melancton Smith Papers, 1767-1795, the Bratt Family Papers, 1689-1854, and the Veeder-Vrooman Family Papers, 1662-1925. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/fa_toc.htm Tue, 7 Aug 2007 11:48:00 EDT The Summer 2007 issue of Upstate Update, the quarterly newsletter of the Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL), is now available online in HTML and MP3 audio. TBBL is a unit of the State Library that lends braille and recorded books and magazines to upsate New Yorkers who are unable to read standard printed materials because of a visual or physical disability. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/audio/smr2007/ Fri, 3 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT On Friday, August 3, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the public is invited to view "Freedom's Treasures," a unique exhibit from the New York State Museum, Library, and Archives featuring some of New York's most important Revolutionary War-era artifacts. This exhibit is part of "1st Friday," Albany's evening of arts and culture. The exhibit will be open on this date only. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/firstfri.htm Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:39:00 EDT The latest lists of books added to the collection are available. Lists are divided into 34 subject areas, ranging from Agriculture to Law to Zoology (Animals). http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:50:00 EDT Governor Elliot Spitzer has invited the public to a free exhibit of Revolutionary War era documents and artifacts at the State Capitol, in Albany, July 4th-6th. The exhibition, entitled "Freedom's Treasures," features a collection from the New York State Library, Archives and Museum of some of New York's most important Revolutionary Era artifacts that have rarely been seen by the public. Items from the State Library's collection include some of George Washington's papers and personal items, such as the original draft of his Farewell Address, his dress sword, pistol (a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette), and his copy of the "Cloathing Book" (1742), a book of colored engravings of British military costume. "Freedom's Treasures" will be open to the public from 10 AM to 4 PM on July 4th in the State Capitol's ceremonial Red Room. The display will remain available for public viewing on July 5th and 6th through scheduled Capitol tours. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/freedom.htm Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:05:00 EDT The State Board of Regents is encouraging all children and teens to participate in the free New York State Summer Reading Program, Get a Clue @Your Library. Kids who join the summer reading program at their local public library have the opportunity to read and share books with others and to join in activities, events and celebrations related to the reading program theme. As Chancellor Bennet noted in the press release, reading during the summer is important because it helps children keep and even improve the reading skills they have developed during the school year. http://www.oms.nysed.gov/press/SummerReading.2007.htm Tue, 26 Jun 2007 13:40:00 EDT The General Douglas MacArthur Memorial Archives and Library Collection consists of 1,034 rolls of microfilm with information on the War with Japan, World War II, the Korean War and the allied occupation of Japan. It includes correspondence, official files, news clippings, speeches, memorabilia, reports, etc. Items in this collection are available for use on-site or can be borrowed via Interlibrary Loan or directly by individuals with a NYSL Borrower's card. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/collections/military/macarthur.htm Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT The Mexican-American War: Unit Histories and Personal Narratives is a collection of 460 microfiche. It includes general reference works, state and federal adjutant general's office reports, state histories of the war, compilations of unit histories and unit histories representing the contributions of specific cities and counties. Items in this collection are available for use on-site or can be borrowed via Interlibrary Loan or directly by individuals with a NYSL Borrower's card. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/collections/military/mexicanwar.htm Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT The New York State Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) recently made their catalog of books available online. Now anyone can search the catalog on the Web, and those who are registered to borrow from TBBL can also add titles directly to their request list from the catalog. (TBBL, a unit of the New York State Library, administers a free program that loans recorded and braille books and magazines, and specially designed playback equipment, to upstate New Yorkers who are unable to read or use standard print materials because of visual or physical impairment.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:10:00 EDT A finding aid, or collection guide, is now available online for the papers of Charles C. Adams, which contain correspondence, reports, and printed works detailing the founding and administrative operations of the Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experimental Station within the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse. Correspondents included many prominent individuals in the fields of natural history and sciences. These papers also detail the creation of Allegany State Park in western New York State. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc22108.htm Fri, 8 Jun 2007 16:29:00 EDT A finding aid, or collection guide, is now available online for the Shaker Collection, 1784-1992. This collection of manuscripts and publications touches all aspects of the Shaker way of life. In addition to the better known Shaker principles--celibacy and separation from the world. It also includes information on their beliefs and actions regarding pacifism, charitableness, equality of sexes, and sanctity of labor. A selected bibliography is also available. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc20330.htm Fri, 8 Jun 2007 16:32:00 EDT Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) initiative did much to advance the stewardship of our nation's natural resources, and did even more to improve the profound socio-economic plight of the "greatest generation." On Wednesday, June 6th, from 12:15-1:15pm, join Craig D. Thompson, Director of NYS DEC's Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, for an overview of the CCC program in New York State, which had the largest CCC program in the country with over 200 camps. The presentation will take place in the Librarians Room on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. Feel free to bring your lunch. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 31 May 2007 10:00:00 EDT Are you trying to find out where your ancestors came from or where they went? Federal records can help. From places of birth listed on census records to payment records for Federal military pensions, information on migration is readily available in Federal records, if you know where to look! On Friday, June 15th, from 12:15 to 1:15pm, Jean Nudd, an Archivist with the National Archives and Records Administration in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, will discuss strategies for researching family migrations. The presentation will take place in the Librarians Room on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. Feel free to bring your lunch. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 31 May 2007 10:00:00 EDT On Wednesday, June 20th, from 12:15 to 1:15pm, Sheldon Wein and Mary Beth Bobish, librarians in the Public Services Unit of the New York State Library, will introduce Digital Sanborn Maps for towns and cities of New York State. Sanborn fire insurance maps are valuable historical tools for anyone who wants to learn about the history, growth, and development of American cities, towns, and neighborhoods. The maps include details such as the outline of each building, the size, shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, and location of windows and doors. Since this session will be held in the State Library's Computer Classroom (on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center), seating is limited and registration is required. Please note also that no food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 31 May 2007 10:00:00 EDT The lists of books added to the collection in the last couple months are available. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Wed, 30 May 2007 10:15:00 EDT The Catalog and Digital Collections will be unavailable from late Saturday afternoon, May 19, through 12:00 noon on Sunday, May 20, while the system is upgraded. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/intrup.htm Fri, 18 May 2007 13:30:00 EDT The Spring 2007 issue of Upstate Update, the quarterly newsletter of the Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL), is now available online in HTML and MP3 audio. TBBL is a unit of the State Library that lends braille and recorded books and magazines to upsate New Yorkers who are unable to read standard printed materials because of a visual or physical disability. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/audio/sp2007/ Fri, 11 May 2007 15:00:00 EDT One of the requirements for obtaining a patent in the United States is that the invention must be new. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recommends that performing a preliminary patent search should be among the first things done when considering a patent application.This class is an introduction to patent searching using the US Patent Classification System. It will include a guide to all the resources available on the USPTO's web site and an introduction to PubWEST, a more sophisticated patent search system available only at the NYS Library, other Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries and at the USPTO Public Search Room in Alexandria, VA. Free session will be held in Librarians Room in the State Library, which is on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center, Madison Avenue, Albany. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 08 May 2007 14:52:00 EDT Trademarks are a valuable way for businesses to identify and market their goods or services. This class will cover unregistered trademarks as common law rights and registered trademarks at the state and federal level. It will also cover doing a federal trademark search on the United States Patent and Trademark Office's web site and a brief introduction to filing for a federal trademark electronically. Free session will be held in Librarians Room in the State Library, which is on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center, Madison Avenue, Albany. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 08 May 2007 14:50:00 EDT Paul C. Rapp, Esq., will discuss intellectual property law in the United States, including an overview of patents, copyrights, and trademarks. There will be an emphasis on copyright protection, its history and theoretical basis, the new challenges presented by new media and the internet. Particular attention will be paid to music downloading, appropriation art and the current lawsuits involving Google and YouTube. Free session will be held in Librarians Room in the State Library, which is on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center, Madison Avenue, Albany. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 08 May 2007 14:46:00 EDT Games at: 10:30am, 11:40am, 1:10, and 2:20pm. Location: The Student Center, 1st Floor of the State Museum, Madison Ave, Albany NY. Trophy presentation at 3:30pm. Special guest panel on Chess and Education at 12:00pm. Learn how to start your own chess club! Free lessons for beginners! Free movie- The Mighty Pawns: shown at 10:30am. Pizza available to order, or bring your own lunch. Co-sponsored by The Right Move and the New York State Library. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/chess07.htm Thu, 03 May 2007 10:21:00 EDT Sheldon Wein and Mary Beth Bobish, librarians in the Public Services Unit of the NYSL, will introduce ScienceDirect, a database for scientific research that contains more than 1,800 Elsevier journals in the life, physical, medical, technical, social sciences and business areas, offering approximately 8 million articles in full-text. In this program, they will demonstrate ways to search and browse journals, set up topic alerts, export citations and obtain cited by references to take advantage of the database's full suite of customizable features. (This hands-on session will be held in the computer classroom on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. Seating is limited to 12 people and registration is required. No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:15:00 EDT A finding aid, or collection guide, is now available online for the papers of Martin Henry Glynn, journalist and politician; Governor of New York State, 1913-1914. These papers contain an assortment of manuscript and printed materials related primarily to his political career as well as his role as editor and publisher of the Albany Times Union. The manuscripts consist chiefly of writings and speeches on a variety of topics, including Irish independence, Catholic patriotism, as well as speeches regarding foreign and domestic issues. Also includes research notes, newspaper clippings, periodical articles collected by Dominick Lizzi while working on his biography of Governor Martin H. Glynn. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc21255.htm Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:09:00 EDT Selected county and town histories from the State Library's collection have been digitized. These publications, online in PDF, were recently indexed and are now searchable. Included are Annals of Albany, by Joel Munsell, published between 1850 and 1859, and Troy and Rensselaer County, New York, a History, by Rutherford Hayner, published in 1925. (April Feature) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Tue, 10 Apr 2007 11:50:00 EST Sheldon Wein and Mary Beth Bobish, librarians in the Public Services Unit of the NYSL, will introduce ScienceDirect, a database for scientific research that contains more than 1,800 Elsevier journals in the life, physical, medical, technical, social sciences and business areas, offering approximately 8 million articles in full-text. In this program, they will demonstrate ways to search and browse journals, set up topic alerts, export citations and obtain cited by references to take advantage of the database's full suite of customizable features. (This hands-on session will be held in the computer classroom on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. Seating is limited to 12 people and registration is required. No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 5 Apr 2007 12:30:00 EST Jack Dunn, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Water Supply Protection within the NYS Department of Health, will discuss and answer questions on the regulation of public water supplies across the state. The who, how and when of drinking water monitoring and regulation will be addressed, as well as a historical perspective on how drinking water oversight has progressed over the last several decades. Bring your lunch. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 5 Apr 2007 12:30:00 EST Ward Stone, Wildlife Pathologist at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will discuss factors influencing the health of the bird population, ranging from pesticides and pollutants to mortality factors such as trains, windows, glass buildings and windmills. Additionally, global warming and the global economy have affected the health of birds, as well as our pets and our children. In 1999, Stone was involved in discovering the West Nile virus and will discuss what we can expect to happen in the future regarding that virus and the potential introduction of avian influenza. This session will be held in the Huxley Theater of the New York State Museum on the 1st floor of the Cultural Education Center. Feel free to bring your lunch. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 5 Apr 2007 12:30:00 EST A finding aid, or collection guide, is now available online for the papers of Sir William Johnson, who immigrated to the American colonies in 1738 and settled in the Mohawk Valley of New York. Johnson established strong relations with the native tribes and became a prominent military leader and negotiator with the Six Nations during the French and Indian War (1755-1763). Johnson acquired huge land holdings, much of which came as gifts from the Mohawks, and he became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies. In 1762 Johnson founded the city of Johnstown, N.Y. The Sir William Johnson papers in the New York State Library cover a period from 1738 to 1808 and constitute a rich vein of documents related to his private life as well as his career in business, the military and government. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc7005.htm Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:30:00 EDT A finding aid, or collection guide, is now available online for the William B. Elmendorf Papers, which are related primarily to Elmendorf's interest in the history of travel and transportation on the Hudson River via steamboats. He was particularly interested in the Hudson River Day Line Company, since he was the principle agent of Day Line operations at Albany from 1884 through the 1930s. The papers include correspondence and research notes along with photographs, timetables, tickets, and other memorabilia. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc11970.htm Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:30:00 EDT A finding aid (guide) is now available online for the Charles Hallenbeck, ca. 1860-1930 Annals of Steamboating on the Hudson River, 1807-1908. These papers provide a chronological history of steamboat transportation on Hudson River from 1807 to 1908. They include information on the design and construction of steamboats, firms operating steamboats, names of boat captains, and dates of sailing season, disasters, and other events. Many illustrations appear with the text as well as newspaper clippings. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc14824.htm Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:04:00 EDT A finding aid (guide) is now available online for the Sanger Family Papers, which focus closely on William Cary Sanger, documenting numerous facets of his professional and personal life. William Cary Sanger's political, military and business activities are documented primarily by correspondence, drafts of writings and speeches, and clippings. In 1894, Sanger was elected to the New York State Assembly as a Republican from the second district of Oneida County. Sanger served in the State Assembly from 1895 to 1897. As a member of the Assembly, Sanger was particularly concerned with civil service reform and ballot reform. Correspondence, invoices, and other papers document the management of Sangerfield House and Sangerfield Farm, Sanger's properties in Oneida County, New York. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc22786.htm Fri, 16 Mar 2007 14:14:00 EDT Governor Spitzer has announced the upcoming display of Lincoln's preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation, was held at the State Capitol for the public on Sunday, March 11 from noon to 4 P.M. The display has been extended through 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 12. The Emancipation Proclamation, which some consider the third most significant document in the history of the United States (after the Constitution and the Bill of Rights), was issued on September 22, 1862 at the height of the Civil War. It declared that on January 1, 1863 all slaves held in confederate states "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." The preliminary Emancipation Proclamation is one of the New York State Library's greatest treasures. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/ep.htm Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:08:00 EST Due to a power shut down, there will be an interruption in service from 5 p.m. Friday, March 16 through Sunday morning, March 18. The Library's Web site and catalog will not be available during this time. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/intrup.htm Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:02:00 EST Because the programs scheduled for March 21, March 26, and March 29 are already full, the Library has added another session of Online Business Resources on Monday, April 1 at 12:15. Mary Beth Bobish and Sheldon Wein will review the many online business resources available at the New York State Library and demonstrate ways to obtain information on companies and industries, locate financial data, investment reports, articles and more. (This session is limited to 12 people and will be held in the computer classroom on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Fri, 9 Mar 2007 14:53:00 EST Because the programs scheduled for Wednesday, March 21st and March 26 are already full, the Library has added a third session of Online Business Resources on Thursday, March 29th at 12:15. Mary Beth Bobish and Sheldon Wein will review the many online business resources available at the New York State Library and demonstrate ways to obtain information on companies and industries, locate financial data, investment reports, articles and more. (This session is limited to 12 people and will be held in the computer classroom on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 8 Mar 2007 09:29:00 EST Governor Spitzer has announced the upcoming display of Lincoln's preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation, to be held at the State Capitol for the public on Sunday, March 11 from noon to 4 P.M. The Emancipation Proclamation, which some consider the third most significant document in the history of the United States (after the Constitution and the Bill of Rights), was issued on September 22, 1862 at the height of the Civil War. It declared that on January 1, 1863 all slaves held in confederate states "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." The preliminary Emancipation Proclamation is one of the New York State Library's greatest treasures. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/ep.htm Tue, 6 Mar 2007 03:45:00 EST Because the program scheduled for Wednesday, March 21st is already full, the Library has added a second session of Online Business Resources on Monday, March 26st at 12:15. Mary Beth Bobish and Sheldon Wein will review the many online business resources available at the New York State Library and demonstrate ways to obtain information on companies and industries, locate financial data, investment reports, articles and more. (This session is limited to 12 people and will be held in the computer classroom on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 6 Mar 2007 09:15:00 EST Since March is Women's History Month, the Library is featuring collections from our Manuscripts and Special Collections division that are related to women's history, particularly those listed in the finding aid, or guide, 'Selected Women's History Collections held by the New York State Library.' Browsing the list, which includes a brief description of each collection, will give you a taste of the size and scope of our collections, which may be as small as a few letters or a diary of an individual woman, or as large as 40 to 60 boxes of organizational records, included because they have information about specific women or because they give insight into women's activities, interests and lives in general during the time period covered by the collection. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Fri, 2 Mar 2007 15:15:00 EST On Thursday, March 15th at 12:15 Bill Brigham, Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), University at Albany, will talk about ways to get a business started as well as trends in small business. SBDCs around the state offer no-cost, one-to-one counseling to assist start-up and existing businesses in developing strategic business plans, identifying appropriate sources of funding, providing market research, management information and financial analysis. (The program will be held in the Librarians Room in the State Library, which is on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center, Madison Avenue, Albany.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:55:00 EST On Wednesday, March 21st at 12:15, Mary Beth Bobish and Sheldon Wein will review the many online business resources available at the New York State Library. This program will explore ways to obtain information on companies and industries, locate financial data, investment reports, articles and more. (This session is limited to 12 people and will be held in the computer classroom on the 7th floor of the New York State Library. No food or drink is permitted in the computer classroom.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:55:00 EST On Wednesday, March 28th at 12:15, Maurice Padula, Senior Consumer Frauds Representative with the NYS Attorney General's Office, will discuss how the Attorney General's Office mediates complaints and prosecutes businesses and individuals that engage in fraudulent, deceptive or illegal trade practices. Learn what steps need to be taken to file a complaint if you feel you have been the victim of unfair business practices. (The program will be held in the Librarians Room in the State Library, which is on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center, Madison Avenue, Albany.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:55:00 EST A finding aid (guide) is now available online for the State Library's collection of records from the Empire State Society of the Sons of The American Revolution (SAR), a lineage organization open to men who can prove themselves direct descendants of individuals who served the United States of America during the Revolutionary War. The New York State Library holds over 100 years of records of the SAR.  This collection is organized into seven series: Administrative Records, Financial Records, Correspondence, Membership Records, Ancestor Card Files, Chapter Records, and Awards, Newsletters, and Miscellaneous Files. Overall, this collection provides extensive documentation of the organization and administration of the Empire State Society. Information on member lineage and Revolutionary War ancestors also makes it a valuable genealogical resource. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc22749.htm Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:00:00 EST A finding aid (guide) is now available online for the Rufus Alexander Grider collection, which consists of albums of Grider's pen-and-ink sketches and watercolors. From 1886 to about 1900, whenever his school duties allowed, Grider traveled up and down the Mohawk Valley, with occasional excursions to the Cherry and Schoharie valleys and Lake George and Lake Champlain, in search of historic buildings, battlefields, the sites of ancient forts, and relics of Indians and early settlers, all of which he drew or copied and then arranged with explanatory notes on pages of albums. By the time of his death in 1900, Grider had compiled nine volumes containing 1,041 pieces, including 623 water color sketches, 42 water color portraits, 169 tracings of manuscripts, 81 original engravings, seven original manuscripts, 71 tracings of maps and plans, 23 photographs and 25 water color drawings of powder horns. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/vc22932.htm Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:00:00 EST Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? There is a bushel full of medical information available to health consumers today. This presentation will discuss how to find relevant health information on databases at the New York State Library and on the Internet. Reliable websites will be emphasized, including MedlinePlus and Health & Wellness Resource Center. Join librarian Chris Szczerba as she demonstrates various techniques to sort the wheat from the chaff in health information. Seating is limited and registration is required. Feb. 28, 12:15, in the Library Computer Classroom on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:16:00 EST Author L. Lloyd Stewart presents research from his book, A Far Cry From Freedom: Gradual Abolition (1799-1827): New York States Crime Against Humanity. This work clarifies some of the misleading facts about the history of the Holocaust of African enslavement and its abolition in New York State. In particular, Stewart will focus on a little-known period in New York history called Gradual Abolition (1799-1827) in an effort to explore the role of the State in the institutionalization of human enslavement and its politically corrupted attempts at abolition. Feb. 23, 12:15, at the Library. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:16:00 EST An exhibition of letters, written by former slave and prominent black anti-slavery activist Frederick Douglass, has opened at the New York State Museum. The exhibition in New York Metropolis Hall, outside of the Harlem in the 1920's gallery, features six letters recently acquired by the New York State Library. They provide valuable insight into anti-slavery activities in upstate New York in the years just before the Civil War. Douglass wrote the letters between 1855-1857 to Miss Hannah Fuller, the organizer of the Skaneateles Ladies Anti-Slavery Society. The letters will be exhibited through March 9. A Virtual Exhibit of the letters is available on the Library's Web site. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/fd/ Tue, 13 Feb 2007 15:15:00 EST A finding aid (guide) is now available online for this collection documenting the operational activities of the Society from the early 1950s until the late 1990s. NYFS's primary activities were holding annual and semi-annual membership meetings and folklore conferences, and publishing a folklore journal.The types of materials found in this collection include flyers, invitations, RSVP cards, programs and other materials connected to organizing, promoting, and holding membership meetings; correspondence, meeting minutes, and other materials documenting board business; financial records and reports; well-documented grant applications to the New York State Council on the Arts and the Documentary Heritage Program of the New York State Archives, and subscription records to NYFS's publications. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc22879.htm Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:16:00 EST A finding aid (guide) is now available online for this collection, which consists of muster rolls, orders, returns and other records including requisitions, accounting records, inspection reports and appointment records of the regiment. These records contain information on individual soldiers such as date of birth, duty activities, and wounds received. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc161-222.htm Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:16:00 EST The lists of books added to the collection in November are available. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:16:00 EST Due to a scheduled hardware and software upgrades, the State Library's Web site and online catalog will experience several brief interruptions in service on Tuesday, February 6, 2007, starting at 6:00 p.m through 10:00 p.m. These interruptions will also affect the New York State Education Department's Web site. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/notice.htm Fri, 2 Feb 2007 08:45:00 EST On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that "all persons held as slaves...shall be free." The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation is an earlier version which Lincoln read to his Cabinet on September 22, 1862. Handwritten by President Lincoln, it also contains annotations by Secretary of State (and former Governor of New York) William Seward. The unassuming appearance of this four page declaration in Lincoln's hand tends to mask the significance of what one source declared to be the "most important and far-reaching document ever issued since the formulation of this government." http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Fri, 2 Feb 2007 08:45:00 EST What was musical life like in Albany in the 1820's and what did the music sound like? On Wednesday, January 31, from 12:15 p.m to 1:15 p.m., Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz, Director and violinist of Musicians of Ma'alwyck, will discuss the formation of the Euterpean Club in 1823. This musical society, which typified amateur music in Albany, worked with professional music directors Richard Willis and Charles Gilfert and established a reputation as an outstanding musical organization. Drawing upon records of the Euterpian Club held at the NYS Library, Ms. Schwartz will discuss the diversity of its repertoire, the curious nature of its instrumentation, and amateur musical life in Albany. Musicians will perform several of the pieces. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 3 Jan 2007 09:10:00 EST On Wednesday, January 10, from 12:15 p.m to 1:15 p.m., John Pipkin, Professor of Geography and Planning at SUNY Albany, will present a program outlining the political and aesthetic struggles over urban space that raged in Albany at the beginning of the twentieth century. Republican Boss Billy Barnes, architects Marcus Reynolds and Arnold Brunner, Governor Charles Evans Hughes, the railroads, and many neighborhood and business organizations designed a series of projects that began as a clean-up of the riverfront. The plan was for Albany to be a "City Beautiful," but Barnes and the "City Beautiful" ideology were defeated by the Democrats and the "City Practical." http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Tue, 2 Jan 2007 15:20:00 EST A finding aid (guide) is now available online for the State Library's Declaration of Independence Signers collection, which consists of original manuscript letters and documents containing autographs of men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Engraved portraits of many of the signers are also included. In addition, the collection contains the autographs of Robert R. Livingston and Thomas Willing, members of the Continental Congress who voted in favor of independence but did not sign the Declaration; John Dickinson, who voted against the measure; and Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress and signer of the Declaration, ex officio. The documents are organized alphabetically by state (colony) and then by surname of signer. The collection was originally assembled by Israel K. Tefft of Savannah, Georgia. New York State purchased it in 1868 and the Library has subsequently added to the collection. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/vc17270.htm Tue, 2 Jan 2007 14:15:00 EST The feature for January is one of the many historical documents the Library has recently scanned and made available online in PDF format. Final Report on the Battlefield of Gettysburg is a three-volume set that contains New York at Gettysburg by William F. Fox and includes regimental histories of the numerous New York State regiments that fought at Gettysburg. The report also includes the dedication of the monuments erected in honor of the New York regiments at Gettysburg; the location, dimension, construction and cost of each of the New York monuments at Gettysburg; and color maps of the battle. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Tue, 2 Jan 2007 14:55:00 EST Finding aids (guides) to the following special collections have recently been published online: the Holcomb Family Papers (1805-1889); the Sterling Iron And Railway Company Records (1740-1918); and the World War II Rationing Collection (1942-1946). http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/fa_toc.htm Thu, 14 Dec 2006 09:45:00 EST African American history and culture is broken into topics such as history, biography, literature, arts, culture, business, civil rights, politics, sports, education, science, and more in this full text database. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/gate/remotedb.htm Wed, 13 Dec 2006 10:05:00 EST Traveling around the state these days? New York State Transportation Federation's TravelInfoNY.com Web site can show you how traffic looks for your drive along the roads in New York State, any winter travel advisories, and lane closures. Traffic cams show you real-time traffic at many locations. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Tue, 5 Dec 2006 13:32:00 EST The New York State Museum has the most comprehensive collection of labelled and documented New York furniture in the nation. John Scherer, Curator of Decorative Arts, will present a survey of New York State furniture spanning the years 1680 to 1950 using examples from the collections of the New York State Museum. This collection contains prime examples by exemplary New York cabinetmakers such at Duncan Phyfe, Alexander Roux, and Gustav Stickley, as well as less sophisticated examples by country cabinetmakers from around the state. Among the pieces owned or used by famous New Yorkers are Governor DeWitt Clinton's writing chair, President Martin Van Buren's dining chair, Alexander Hamilton's parlor chair and a table that George Washington dined on. Wednesday, December 6, from 12:15 - 1:15 p.m., in Librarians Room on the seventh floor of the New York State Library. Free. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:56:00 EST Diana S. Waite, President of Mount Ida Press in Albany, New York, and co-author of Tweed Courthouse: A Model Restoration, will discuss how she and her staff approach projects on regional history and architecture for their clients. Mount Ida Press recently researched and wrote a commemorative history of the Fort Orange Club, an organization that has reflected the social, economic, and political culture of Albany for the past 125 years; Diana will highlight how materials at the New York State Library and the Albany Institute of History and Art, as well as the club's own archives, proved essential to that project. Thursday, December 14, from 12:15 - 1:15 p.m., in Librarians Room on the seventh floor of the New York State Library. Free. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:56:00 EST The Friends of NYSL will present a lecture on William C. Bouck, who was governor of New York from 1842 to 1844. Edward A. Hagan, former Schoharie County Historian, meticulously researched Bouck over a period of twenty years and became an authority on Bouck, who was perhaps the most noteworthy individual Schoharie has produced. Although Hagan died before he could complete his planned biography, his widow, Stasia Hagan, published her husband's life-time work, William C. Bouck, New York's Farmer Governor, in 2006. Lester Hendrix, Editor, will discuss the book and the life of Governor Bouck on Tuesday, November 14, from 12:15 - 1:15 p.m., in Librarians Room on the seventh floor of the New York State Library. (Doors open at 12:00 noon.) http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/ann/bouck.htm Tue, 7 Nov 2006 15:45:00 EST The Fall 2006 issue of Upstate Update, the quarterly newsletter of the Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL), is now available online on the TBBL Web site in HTML and MP3 audio. (Note: MP3 audio files will play in many types of audio players, including Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, and iTunes.) TBBL is a unit of the State Library that lends braille and recorded books and magazines, as well as the equipment to play recorded books, to residents of the 55 upstate counties of New York who are unable to read standard printed materials because of a visual or physical disability. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/audio/fall2006/ Tue, 7 Nov 2006 15:45:00 EST "Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)" is a popular education Web site offering access to many learning resources including teaching ideas, learning activities, photos, maps, primary documents, data, paintings, sound recordings, and more. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Thu, 2 Nov 2006 16:11:00 EST Noontime classes for November include "Records of the Court Chancery," which will help untangle the complexities of these records through a discussion of the Court's history, changing jurisdiction, and records systems; "Doing Business with New York State," with representatives from the Small Business Division of Empire State Development and the Office of General Services (OGS); and "Newspapers Online," which will focus on the newspaper databases accessible through the New York State Library. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:20:00 EDT This database for scientific research contains more than 1,800 Elsevier Science journals in the life, physical, medical, technical, and social sciences. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/gate/remotedb.htm Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:00:00 EDT Recently, the New York State Library expanded the types of materials it is scanning and making available online. Now, in addition to the recent publications of State agencies, the Library has also scanned and published a variety of frequently-used historical documents. These items are now available as PDF documents on the State Library's website. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/scandocs/historical.htm Wed, 4 Oct 2006 15:30:00 EDT The lists of books added to the collection in August are available. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/newbooks/ Wed, 4 Oct 2006 15:30:00 EDT View an online collection of scanned maps of parts of New York State dating from the 16th through the 19th century. Each map in the SUNY Stony Brook New York State Historical Maps collection is presented in various image sizes, with information about its origins and creator, plus related bibliographic references. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Tue, 3 Oct 2006 11:00:00 EDT Classes for October include "Wish You Were Here," the story of the picture postcard from its origins in the nineteenth century to the present time; A League of Her Own: with Carolyn Trombe, author of Dottie Wiltse Collins, Strikeout Queen of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League; and Tricks of the Trade: An overview of librarians'techniques used to locate information from online databases. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:08:00 EDT This month's feature is both a Library searching service and a Web site. OCLC's WorldCat uses the Open WorldCat program to allow users to search for books, music, and videos among 1.3 billion items in 18,000 library catalogs worldwide, and find articles and digital items that can be directly viewed or downloaded. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/nyslfeat.htm Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:30:00 EDT Classes for September include Genealogy: HeritageQuest and Ancestry Databases, Beyond the North Gate: The Rum Distillery on the Outskirts of Colonial Albany, and Pandemic Influenza - What in the world do YOU need to know? http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/press.htm Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:30:00 EDT The Library's subscription to Early American newspapers has been expanded to include those published between 1690 and 1922, including titles from all 50 present states. The over 150 New York newspaper selections include newspapers from Albany, Ballston Spa, Cooperstown, Hudson, Ithaca, New York City, Rochester, Schenectady, Sing-Sing, Troy, and Utica. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/gate/remotedb.htm Tue, 29 Aug 2006 10:00:00 EDT