This Week in CQ Researcher

Transition to Digital TV
by Kenneth Jost
June 20, 2008

Are broadcasters and viewers ready for the switch?

After years of delays, the nation's full-power television stations are facing a deadline of Feb. 17, 2009, to switch from traditional analog broadcasting to all-digital. But viewers with older TV sets and no cable or satellite connection must buy special converter boxes to continue receiving most over-the-air channels after the switch. The government is offering $40 coupons to help viewers pay for the boxes, but many people are still confused. And some stations may have reduced coverage with digital signals. Meanwhile, public-interest groups complain that broadcasters are getting a financial windfall without any new public-interest obligations.

To read this article and others visit our Articles and Databases webpage and click on CQ Researcher. Select the Remote Access link for information on how to access this resource from off campus locations.

Beyond Google: Top 100 search engines for college students

100 Useful Niche Search Engines You’ve Never Heard Of by Laura Milligan.

In this blog entry, Laura Milligan has compiled a useful list of search engines, directories and specialized databases geared towards college students' searching needs.

As she explains, "Though Google is often touted as the number-one search engine online, college students sometimes need more specific tools to help them uncover quality information on the Web that they can use for class projects, research papers, and even job and apartment searches."

Remember, always evaluate any information you find - particularly from the Internet!

Check it out

Prediction: Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time will be one of the four finalists for College Book 2009 in the voting this fall.

Co-authored by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, this award-winning book tells Mortenson’s story. While trying to reach the top of K2 (and in many ways this book is reminiscent of the very popular Into Thin Air), Mortenson became lost and was rescued by local tribesmen. As his way of thanking them, Mortenson went back later to build a school. It became his passion and his career.

Three Cups of Tea is part adventure (Mortenson was captured by jihadists), part anthropology, and largely inspirational. If you are feeling that much around you is beyond your control (rising gas prices, the presidential elections), read this book to see how one person can make a difference in the world. You will get to the last page wishing you could help, and in the acknowledgements at the end, Mortenson tells you how. And they are all do-able.

Book review by Diane Gustafson, SWC Librarian

Otay Mesa Library opens Monday

Summer session at the Higher Education Center at Otay Mesa begins Monday, June 23rd. Come by the Library and meet the friendly library staff, use the computers, or check out a book for some fun summer reading. We are here to help you succeed!

Otay Mesa Library Hours
June 23 - August 7, 2008
Monday & Tuesday 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 12:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Closed: Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Higher Education Center at Otay Mesa - Library
8100 Gigantic Street
San Diego, CA 92154
Phone Number: 619-216-6750 x4424
Email: libraryom@swccd.edu

For additional assistance, contact the Southwestern College Main Library or use our Ask Us Now 24/7 Chat Reference service. Summer hours for the Main Library are 8 AM - 6:30 PM, Monday-Thursday.

This Week in CQ Researcher

Campaign Finance Reform by Thomas J. Billitteri,

June 13, 2008

Have efforts to rein in political donations failed?

As the 2008 presidential contest continues, the campaign finance system is in upheaval. Six years after Congress passed the landmark Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act to help curb the influence of unregulated “soft” money in politics, the so-called McCain-Feingold law is facing court challenges and persistent claims that it infringes on free-speech rights.

• Has BCRA failed?
  
• Are small donors creating a new campaign finance system?
  
• Should the Federal Election Commission be overhauled?

To read this article and others visit our Articles and Databases webpage http://www.swccd.edu/~library/articles.htm and click on CQ Researcher. Select the Remote Access link for information on how to access this resource from off campus locations.

New E-Book: Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States

This new searchable 4 volume set provides conprehensive information on the historical and contemporary experiences in the United States of Latinos and Latinas from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Central America, and elsewhere.

This digital resource includes over 900 signed articles, arranged alphabetically and offers both topical and biographical information. Read about the Bilingual Education Act, murals, tex-mex music, NAFTA, racial profiling, and much more.

You will find the Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States on our Articles and Databases webpage or you can also search this title in our Library Catalog.

Currently enrolled students can access this resource from off campus locations. For additional information visit our Remote Access webpage .

Chronicle Career Library - Online Resource

Choosing an occupation or considering a career change is one of the most challenging tasks facing students and adults.The library has purchased access to the Chronicle Career Library Occupational Briefs On-Line service. By utilizing this resource, you will have immediate access to information on more than 2,000 occupational titles, including 650 four-page comprehensive occupational descriptions, ranging from those that require a high school diploma or less, through professional careers.

You will find the Chronicle Career Library on our Articles and Databases website http://www.swccd.edu/~library/articles.htm . Students who are currently enrolled can also receive off campus access. For additional information about off campus access visit our remote access website http://www.swccd.edu/~library/Lvl2/index.asp?L2=26 or call the Library Reference Desk 619-421-6700 x 5381

June e-book of the Month

What now? by Ann Patchett HarperCollins, 2008 is the June e-book of the month.

Based on her lauded commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College, this stirring essay by bestselling author Ann Patchett offers hope and inspiration for anyone at a crossroads, whether graduating, changing careers, or transitioning from one life stage to another.

As Patchett writes, "'What now?' represents our excitement and our future, the very vitality of life." Praised as "The best graduation present on the market..." by Publisher's Weekly, What now? highlights the possibilities the unknown offers and reminds us that there is as much joy in the journey as there is in reaching the destination.

If you have already established a NetLibrary account through Southwestern College Library, visit http://www.netlibrary.com/ and log in to read "What now" or any of our other 19,000 e-book titles.

If you do not have a NetLibrary account, you can create your own account from any computer on the Southwestern College campuses. Visit our NetLibrary e-book page http://www.swccd.edu/~library/Lvl3/index.asp?L3=9 for more information.