Top Shelf

by Naomi Trapp Davis and Diane Gustafson, SWC Librarians.

Top Shelf is a weekly column where librarians share some of their favorite resources with you.

Book Selection
Historical Atlas of California : with original maps
by Derek Hayes
University of California, 2007
Call #: Reference G 1526 S1 H39 2007

This atlas reminds the reader that maps are not just about drawing lines. Through narrative, historical maps, and illustrations, the reader makes her own visual discoveries about the past 500 years of our state's complex history.

Browse through unique chapters such as "Russian California," "Water, Wine, and Oranges" or "California at War”. See what the Gold Rush miners saw – a map of the gold regions of California in 1849 (p. 92) and mining districts in 1850 (p. 95). Ever wonder about the origins of Los Angeles car culture? Take a look at where it all began – a map of roads in the region in 1915 (p. 206-7). Note the pueblo lands of San Diego in 1858 and how they changed (p. 73). Be prepared for surprises, like a San Francisco map outlining race, considered relevant planning material for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 (p. 189).

The atlas illuminates the social, economic, and cultural issues that contributed to our region's fascinating history and development.

-Naomi.


Website Selection
http://www.mypyramid.gov/
MyPyramid.gov: Steps to a Healthier You

This is a United States Department of Agriculture site that I learned about in a seminar led by a dietitian.

You can start out by entering the foods and amounts you eat in a typical day, as well as the amount and intensity of exercise for a day. You will receive an evaluation of both.

You can plan your menus around the foods you like and within the suggested number of calories. For example, I selected flavored oatmeal with an “add on” of fat-free milk. Besides indicating the correct amount (1/2 cup) the food was added to my breakfast column for Day 1, and I could see from the brightly-colored chart that the oatmeal represented 25% of my grains for the day. And there was a running total of calories as I selected foods for other meals. I was surprised to learn that 4 oz. of broiled salmon was 100% of my meats and beans category for the day!

If you register on the site, you can keep your menus for a year.

The site is available in both English and Spanish.

-Diane.