eBooks

Winter break is upon us and the library will be closed until Jan. 10th, 2011, the first day of the spring semester. While we're closed you can still access our online resources from off-campus, including nearly 17,000 electronic books across all disciplines. From the library catalog simply click the maroon electronic resources button, select the link for Columbia students, enter your student ID and birthdate and voilà!

Have a wonderful break and see you in the spring. 

Classical Music Library

The Library will be closed from Dec. 13 through Jan. 11 for Winter break. In the meantime, access thousands of streamed MP3s in dozens of categories of classical music, including Chamber, Instrumental, Orchestral and Opera. Our three other musical databases are also available during this time.

Access Classical Music Library from the Library's Article and Research Databases page. Note that this and all of our other databases are available from off-campus to Columbia staff and students. Instructions are available on our help page.

Election Education II

California's 12 propositions involve wide-ranging issues, from high speed trains and farm animals to abortion and gay marriage. Want to learn more?

Check out Capital Public Radio's special reports on each proposition (see list, below). Other useful resources include The League of Women Voters non-partisan Easy Voters Guide and the California Secretary of State's Quick Reference Guide, which includes pro and con arguments for each initiative. Ballotpedia.org is a wiki (meaning anyone can add and edit content) focusing on ballot initiatives, including California's 2008 propositions.

Capital Public Radio's Special Reports on the 12 California Propositions:

Prop. 1A: High Speed Rail

Prop. 2: Treatment of Farm Animals

Prop. 3: Children's Hospital Bonds

Prop. 4: Parental Notification for Teenage Abortion

Prop. 5: Nonviolent Drug Offenses (Note: this report also discusses Prop 6.)

Prop. 6: Police and Law Enforcement Funding (Note: this report also discusses Prop 5.)

Prop 7: Renewable Energy Generation (Note: this report also discusses Prop 10.)

Prop 8: Same Sex Marriage

Prop 9: Victims' Rights

Prop. 10: Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy (Note: this report also discusses Prop. 7.)

Prop 11: Redistricting

Prop 12: Veterans' Bond Act of 2008

What Calif. Fires Mean for the Land

Day to Day's fascinating radio piece on the effects of major fires and different approaches that should be considered. Notably, the speaker (Arizona State University professor and prolific fire science author Stephen Pyne) supports letting people stay in their homes over large scale evacuations (in some circumstances). UC Berkeley professor Scott Stephens is apparently a proponent of the idea, too, as he outlines in an interview for Berkeley's College of Natural Resources. Sound crazy? The practice has already caught on in Australia!

What California Fires Mean for the Land
Available to stream from the Day to Day section of NPR.org.

American Song

Our newest music database includes music about American Indians, miners, immigrants, slaves, pioneers, and cowboys.

Library Highlights is taking a break for the holidays. See you in January!

American Song
Access American Song from the Library's Articles and Research Databases page. Note that off-campus users will be prompted to enter their student or employee ID and six-digit birthdate. Visit our help page for more information and an animated tutorial describing how to access our databases from off-campus.

Annual Credit Report

Everyone should regularly check their credit report for inaccuracies and suspicious activities. By law you are allowed one free report from each of the three major credit bureaus per year. Note that while the report is free, obtaining your score costs money (but if your report is correct there’s not much you can do about your score).

annualcreditreport.com is the website established as a result of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 to obtain free reports and is available on the Internet at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

WARNING: There are lots of websites that misleadingly claim to provide free credit reports (such as www.FreeCreditReport.com). There is almost always a catch. In the case of FreeCreditReport.com, you get your "free report" by signing up for a trial membership, which automatically charges you $12.95 per month if you don't cancel it.

What Should I Read Next?

Type in a favorite title or author to find suggestions on what other books might appeal to you.

What Should I Read Next? A free website available online at: http://whatshouldireadnext.com/

African American Song

Access thousands of MP3s on- or off-campus in dozens of genres, including jazz, blues, gospel, ragtime and other genres influenced by African Americans!

African American Song
Access African American Song from the Library's Articles and Research Databases page. Note that off-campus users will be prompted to enter their student or employee ID and six-digit birthdate. Visit our help page for more information and an animated tutorial describing how to access our databases from off-campus.

Smithsonian Global Sound

Access thousands of MP3s on- or off-campus in dozens of genres, including Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, Jazz, World and more!

Smithsonian Global Sound
Access Smithsonian Global Sound from the Library's Articles and Research Databases page. Note that off-campus users will be prompted to enter their student or employee ID and six-digit birthdate.