Blogs at the University of Auckland Library

Naked Statistics

Arts Information Services — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:56:30 GMT

Does the idea of delving into statistics make you wince?

Fear not, as Charles Wheelan’s recent book Naked Statistics untangles some of the daunting aspects of interpreting statistics through providing simple approaches to tackle the complex but everyday data of our lives. With a comforting humourous tone, Wheelan introduces statistical concepts like basic probability and regression analysis in an easy to comprehend manner.

If you have ever wondered about the likelihood of winning lotto or the accuracy of preferred Prime Minister polling, Naked Statistics is the book for you!

Charles Wheelan, Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data, New York: Norton, 2013.

LIANZA Children's Book Awards Finalists 2013

Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:57:41 GMT

The finalists in this year's LIANZA Children's Book Awards have been announced. Further information is available at the LIANZA website.

Te Kura Pounamu (te reo Māori)

Hautipua Rererangi story by Julian Arahanga, illustrated by Andrew Burdan, (Huia)

Ngā Waituhi o Rēhua by Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira, (Huia)

Arohanui by Huia Publishers, illustrated Andrew Burdan, (Huia)

Ko Meru by Kyle Mewburn, translated by Ngaere Roberts, illustrated by Ali Teo and John O'Reilly, (Scholastic)

Taea ngā whetū by Dawn McMillan, translated by Ngaere Roberts, illustrated by Keinyo White, (Scholastic)

LIANZA Junior Fiction Award – Esther Glen Medal

The Queen and the Nobody Boy: A tale of Fontania by Barbara Else, (GECKO Press)

Drover’s Quest by Susan Brocker, (HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

When Empire Calls by Ken Catran, (Scholastic NZ Ltd)

Red Rocks by Rachael King, (Random House New Zealand)

The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate de Goldi, (Random House New Zealand)

Lightening Strikes: The Slice by Rose Quilter, (Walker Books Australia)

LIANZA Young Adult Fiction Award

My Brother’s War by David Hill, (Penguin NZ)

The Nature of Ash by Mandy Hager, (Random House New Zealand)

Marked by Denis Martin, (Walker Books Australia)

Earth Dragon, Fire Hare by Ken Catran, (HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

Snakes and Ladders by Mary-anne Scott, (Scholastic NZ Ltd)

LIANZA Illustration Award - Russell Clark Award

The Dragon Hunters by James Russell, illustrated by Link Choi, (Dragon Brothers Books Ltd)

Mister Whistler by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Gavin Bishop, Gecko Press)

Kiwi: The Real Story by Annemarie Florian, illustrated by Heather Hunt, (New Holland Publishers Ltd)

Blue Gnu by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Daron Parton, (Scholastic NZ Ltd)

Melu by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Ali Teo and John O’Reilly, (Scholastic NZ Ltd)

A Great Cake by Tina Matthews, (Walker Books Australia)

LIANZA Non Fiction Award – Elsie Locke Medal

At the Beach: Explore & Discover the New Zealand Seashore by Ned Barraud and Gillian Candler, (Craig Potton Publishing)

Eruption! Discovering New Zealand Volcanoes by Maria Gill, (New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

100 Amazing Tales from Aotearoa by Simon Morton and Riria Hotere, (Te Papa Press)

Using the Library, 1933 - style. Marking the University's 130th anniversary

Special Collections — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:23:19 GMT

Auckland University College Library, 1931.⁴

Friday morning, May 26, 1933 and there are only a few Auckland University College students in the Library. It is vacation and the College has just celebrated its 50^th anniversary. Silence now prevails but at other times music from gramophones and piano-playing in the students’ block wafts through the windows. Or, less pleasantly, the Librarian sharply calls out for silence.¹

The main Library on Princes Street [in the ClockTower building] measures 5,640 sq feet and was opened six years ago. Past the Lippincott table by the main door with its Library plan and charts outlining the Dewey classification system,² the Librarian sits at the imposing semi-circular central desk, kept warm by a radiator.

Because it is a vacation week day, the Library opened at 9am and will close at 5pm, without shutting for lunch as happens during term³, to the frustration of students. No freshers or seniors search the author and subject catalogue cards in the wooden cabinets. However, a young woman gets assistance from the Librarian, as recommended by the Students’ Association Handbook, which notes, “You will find the Librarian and the Catalogues are complementary.”²

Borrowing a book takes a little time as the Librarian writes in a ledger the borrower’s name, the date and the volume’s accession number or call number. Restricted to borrowing two books at a time for 14 days, it is easy to incur the one-penny-a-day overdue fine, even though the Library regulations are pasted in each book. Also, there is a notice-book, “…in which a student desirous of obtaining a book already in circulation may enter his name and the title of the book desired.”³

The College’s 1307 students, 13 professors and 29 lecturers have more reading material to choose from than ever before; most of the 25,000 books and periodicals are in the main Library, the rest in departmental libraries. But on this day, these riches are being enjoyed by only a few.

Jo Birks, Special Collections

References

¹Johnson, O. (1988). The true university: a short history of the University of Auckland Library 1883-1986. Auckland : University of Auckland Library.

²Auckland University College. Students’ Association. (1933). Auckland University College handbook for 1933.

³Auckland University College. (1933). Auckland University College Calendar for the year 1933.

⁴University of Auckland. Library. History series. MSS & Archives E-10, items 3.1, 2.1.3, 8.2, 11.2. Special Collections.

Can't find items on your reading list?

Arts Information Services — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:08:45 GMT

This new online tutorial will help you identify and locate books, book chapters, and journal articles. You can test yourself to check your knowledge.

You can find this tutorial (including videos and test) from the Library webpage under Tutorials and Guides >> Finding items from your reading list.

Desma Waltham Russell - Assistant-in-Charge (1962-1963)

NICAI — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:47:32 GMT

To celebrate The University of Auckland’s 130^th Anniversary we have decided to profile the Fine Arts Library’s first qualified Assistant-in-Charge - Desma Waltham Russell (née Butler) who worked at the Library from 1962 until late 1963.

Mrs Russell studied at the Elam School of Fine Arts between 1942 and 1953 - receiving her Diploma of Fine Arts majoring in Modelling in 1953.* She went on to complete her Certificate of the New Zealand Library School in 1959, with her final research paper focusing on picture loan collections as library resources (Butler, 1959).

Mrs Russell was offered the position of Assistant-in-Charge at Elam in late 1961 while she was working at Auckland Public Libraries. The Auckland University College Librarian, Arthur Sandall, would have identified her as a prime candidate for the role due to her knowledge of librarianship and her experience in the Fine Arts.

From 1950 until 1962 the Elam School of Fine Arts reading room was housed on the site of the old Newton West Primary School on the corners of Great North Road and Brisbane and Potatau Streets. On her arrival Mrs Russell found a reading room consisting of ‘one room with a few [uncatalogued] books’, which she believed to number less than 100. Robert Ellis, a lecturer at Elam (1957 until 1995) described the collection at the Newton West site between 1957 and 1959 as follows “the art library consisted [of] one locked cupboard and in that cupboard were about 40 or 50 books, those 40 or 50 books nothing later than about 1850” (Ellis & Tapper, c.1983).

Russell and Ellis may have slightly under estimated the number of books held by the library, shown by the acquisition records (Complete orders 1951-1956, 1957-1960), to have been 416 books and 39 periodicals by the end of 1962 (The University of Auckland Library, 1963). However, both recollections illustrate that the library was perceived by Elam staff as being a rather limited resource.

The library was one of four branch libraries that included collections at the School of Architecture, School of Engineering and the Waikato Branch. It was described in a 1963 library staff newsletter as follows,

’These collections are (and enjoy being called) “special”. The reason is they’re specialised – narrower but deeper than our General Library, and so are justified in spoon-feeding (to some extent) their clients, who included many practising architects and engineers.’ (Grapevine, 1963).

Despite the Library being quite a distance from the city campus Mrs Russell utilised the cataloguing facilities at the Main University of Auckland College Library once a week.

Mrs Russell remembered having positive contact with the Elam staff during her time at Newton West especially when using the shared staff common room. Interestingly the amount of contact was reduced after the move to the Whitaker Place site in December 1962. This may have been a result of the Fine Arts Library having its own staff facilities.

Mrs Russell tendered her resignation in late 1963 when she and her husband decide to start a family. While Mrs Russell only worked at the library for two years it was during an intense period of organisational change which included:

· The end of the University of New Zealand and the subsequent establishment of The University of Auckland as an autonomous institution

· The creation of the Chair of Fine Arts and the History and Theory of Art paper

· The physical movement of the Library from Newton West to Whitaker Place

· The library transitioning from a small departmental collection into being a part of the wider Library infrastructure

Mrs Russell, now 85, recently wrote that “I always enjoyed the connection with staff and students.”

I would like to thank Mrs Russell for kindly agreeing to participate in the writing of this article and for providing the images of Newton West c.1962.

References:

* Mrs Russell was a full-time student during 1942-1945 and then attended evening classes between 1946 and 1952.

Butler, D. W. (1959). Picture loan collections. (Unpublished Paper produced in partial fulfillment of the course requirements of the New Zealand Library School). New Zealand Library School, Wellington.
Ellis, R., & Tapper, G. (c.1983). Interview by Barbi de Lange. [Tape Recording]. (05-188). Elam Archive, Fine Arts Library, The University of Auckland, Auckland.
Complete orders 1951-1956, 1957-1960. (1951-1956). [Acquisition records]. Fine Arts Library Archive. Elam Archive, Fine Arts Library, The University of Auckland, Auckland.
University of Auckland Library. (1963). University of Auckland Libraries and Archives report for the year 1962. Auckland The University of Auckland Library.
University of Auckland Library (April, 1963), Outposts, Grapevine, no.2.

Victoria Passau
Fine Arts Library

130th anniversary of The University of Auckland

Audiovisual Library — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:24:58 GMT

Image of the AV Library Display at the General Library

The Audiovisual Library is one of the youngest libraries in the University. Originally, the Audiovisual Library opened in 1985 in the new Arts 1 Building. It was designed to provide a location to pool audiovisual resources from other libraries and several arts and commerce departments, which had intended to establish their own facilities in the new building.

Roger Horrocks writes that until the early 1970s “the book was valued over all media. (The idea of teaching films alongside books would have been considered frivolous or subversive)” (4). However, as Horrocks argues, teaching film studies took off in the 70s, and attitudes finally started to change in the 80s (10). As several departments started using films as texts, the need arose to have a library that would be dedicated to such media.

The AV Library is home to students who use the Library for study purposes and staff for teaching and research purposes. It is also used by patrons whose personal interests lie in the film medium. The Library now houses DVDs and VHS required by the Arts, Science, and Business and Economics Faculties. The collection numbers tens of thousands of titles, some of which are difficult to locate elsewhere in New Zealand or internationally.

Reference
Horrocks, Roger. "Media Teaching in New Zealand: Sketching out a history." Medianz Conference. Auckland: University of Auckland, 2007. 1-27. Print.

Vulcan Demirkan-Martin
Audiovisual Library

Celebrating 100 Years of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps

NICAI — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:39:05 GMT

This month we have another guest post, this time from one of our students, Sasha Rasmussen, who was the 2012/2013 Summer Scholar working on Stravinsky and the premiere of Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring).

2013 marks the centenary of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, a work which sparked such controversy at its premiere at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris that the audience broke into a riot. Commissioned for the Ballets Russes dance company by the Russian expatriate Sergei Diaghilev, The Rite of Spring represented an ambitious collaboration between Vaslav Nijinsky, the choreographer, Nicholas Roerich, responsible for set and costumes, and Stravinsky, an up-and-coming immigrant composer of only 28 years of age.
The ballet was ill-received by the majority of the public and press critics. Nijinsky’s choreography – which inverted traditional ballet posture and principles, with pigeon-toed, hunched dancers stamping and jumping in time to the music – provoked strong emotions ranging from ridicule to disgust, and was described by one critic as ‘a crime against grace’. Stravinsky’s score fared little better in the initial round of press reviews, criticised as ‘barbaric’ and overly-dissonant, repetitive and abrasive to the ear. The critics of Paris understood The Rite as a unified (and unsavoury) spectacle, with the composite art forms being inseparable from each other and from the narrative they told.
But, in the world of musicology at least, the collaborative origins have been largely forgotten, and the work is remembered as an autonomous and self-contained musical whole. The music itself in isolation has been the subject of countless analytical approaches from music theorists such as Allen Forte, Daniel Chua, Richard Taruskin and Gretchen Horlacher. Students engage with the hulking monument of the score, orchestras perform the music in concert halls, and the choreography is remembered as an historical quirk at best, if not entirely ignored.
Stravinsky himself contributed significantly to this legacy by declaring in 1920 that he had composed ‘an architectural, not an anecdotal, work’. This contradicts his later statements that The Rite was inspired by a visual conception of the sacrificial maiden, although Stravinsky is notorious for his inconsistency and questionable testimony. However, as early as 1914, a mere ten months after its initial presentation as a ballet, The Rite of Spring was removed from its original ballet context when it was performed in the Casino de Paris as part of a series of orchestral matinees conducted by Pierre Monteux. In this setting, the music received far better reviews from the press, who claimed that without the visual distraction of the choreography, they were better able to appreciate the complexity and colour of the score.
This joint decision from Monteux and Stravinsky to divorce the score of The Rite from its choreography marks the beginning of a fraught relationship between music and gesture in The Rite’s history, and more broadly in the history of dance music in the concert hall. In a sense, the music has been transformed from a narrative programme into an absolute entity, and this characterises how we engage with The Rite today. Our experience of The Rite rests on the values of Modernism in the early twentieth century, and the interesting tension between The Rite’s conception and its canonical status today will hopefully prompt us as musicians to reconsider the relationship between music and (absent) dance.

Sasha Rasmussen
Music and Dance Library

Top Six - 23 May 2013

Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:56:40 GMT

Magical Margaret Mahy by Betty Gilderdale (Junior Non-fiction)
Great to see a revised edition of this book for children about our much-loved author. First published in 1987, this edition includes a new chapter, updates the lists of awards given to Margaret Mahy and updates the bibliography.

The Book of Blood: From Legends and Leeches to Vampires and Veins by HP Newquist (Junior Non-fiction)
This one’s on the list because, quite simply, it looks intriguing! All aspects of blood appear to have been covered, from the scientific and medical to how blood was used in sacrificial rites and in fiction. Suit upper primary level and up.

In Darkness by Nick Lake (Young Adult Fiction)
We’re receiving many young adult award winning titles at present. This one won an American Library Association Printz Award for Exellence in Young Adult Literature. Set in Haiti, it tells the tale of a boy trapped in the rubble of a hospital during an earthquake.

Fearless Fred and the Dragon by Maureen Sudlow (Junior Picture Book)
A very real and well-illustrated New Zealand adventure about a young boy’s imagination. Is he hunting a dragon? This one was a finalist for the Storylines Joy Cowley Award in 2012.

Charley’s First Night by Amy Hest, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Junior Picture Book)
Excellent story told with perfect pace and warm illustrations. Teachers looking for stories about pets, family rules, friendship, should have a look at this one.

My Dad is a Taniwha by Frank and Spike O’Connor (Junior Fiction)
A very attractively produced book, this New Zealand title caught our eye for looking a little different. Would love to hear from anyone who has read it – we’ve not heard of this author or publisher before so it may be self-published. The summary says: "When Fred the taniwha hatches from his egg he has a lot to learn. He needs to find food. And water. And what is safe, because there are many dangers for a small taniwha. With help from his father, he begins to find out about his world".

Robotic insects make first controlled flight

Engineering Library — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:20:29 GMT

“ In culmination of a decade's work, RoboBees achieve vertical takeoff, hovering, and steering. In the very early hours of the morning, in a Harvard robotics laboratory last summer, an insect took flight. Half the size of a paperclip, weighing less than a tenth of a gram, it leapt a few inches, hovered for a moment on fragile, flapping wings, and then sped along a preset route through the air.” Read more and view the illustrations at http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news-events/press-releases/robotic-insects-make-first-controlled-flight

Printable 'bionic' ear melds electronics and biology

Engineering Library — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:20:04 GMT

“Using 3-D printing tools, scientists at Princeton University have created a functional ear that can "hear" radio frequencies far beyond the range of normal human capability. The researchers' primary purpose was to explore an efficient and versatile method of merging electronics with tissue. The scientists used 3-D printing of cells and nanoparticles — with an off-the-shelf printer purchased off the Internet — followed by cell culture to combine a small coil antenna with cartilage, creating what they term a bionic ear.” Read more at http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S36/80/19M40/index.xml?section=topstories

Hydrogen to join electricity in ending traffic pollution

Engineering Library — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:19:40 GMT

“Global expectations for hydrogen are currently sky-high. Transport applications stand at the threshold of commercialisation, while ahead lies an investment boom in the hydrogen distribution network. The changeover to hydrogen based on natural gas would already mean a potential saving of billion in Finland's balance of payments. If hydrogen could then be produced from domestic renewable raw material, our car and bus traffic would eventually be practically self-sufficient and leave a significantly reduced carbon footprint. The above was revealed in the Finnish hydrogen roadmap published recently.” Read more at http://www.vtt.fi/news/2013/12042013_vetyauto.jsp

2011 Nobel laureate in Chemistry to speak at ICFPAM Conference

Science Information Services — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:20:38 GMT

The University of Auckland is hosting the 12thInternational Conference on Frontiers of Polymers and Advanced Materials (ICFPAM) on the 8-13 December 2013. The venue will be the Owen G Glenn Building.

Topics for the conference include polymer science, advanced materials and new technologies. A programme overview is available until the full programme is released.

The Call for Abstracts closed on 30 April and Earlybird Registration closes on 1 June.

Among the speakers is Professor Dan Schectman, the 2011 Nobel prize laureate in Chemistry.

The conference chair is Associate Professor Jadranka Travas-Sejdic from the School of Chemical Sciences.

APA angst

B&E Information Services — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:44:31 GMT

Are you grappling with referencing, brought to tears by commas and full stops?

The Business Librarians have developed a handy APA Referencing Guide for Business Students. The guide brings together numerous APA examples, from referencing numerous authors to more tricky examples such as YouTube clips to blog posts.

Have all your referencing problems solved by consulting the APA guide.

NREL Quantifies Significant Value in Concentrating Solar Power

Engineering Library — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:15:57 GMT

“CSP with thermal energy storage boosts California electric grid. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have quantified the significant value that concentrating solar power (CSP) plants can add to an electric grid. The NREL researchers evaluated the operational impacts of CSP systems with thermal energy storage within the California electric grid managed by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). NREL used a commercial production cost model called PLEXOS to help plan system expansion, to evaluate aspects of system reliability, and to estimate fuel cost, emissions, and other operational factors within the CAISO system. The analysis is detailed in a recent publication, Analysis of Concentrating Solar Power with Thermal Energy Storage in a California 33% Renewable Scenario, by Paul Denholm, Yih-Huei Wan, Marissa Hummon, and Mark Mehos.” Read it at http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2013/2180.html

130th anniversary of The University of Auckland

Special Collections — Sun, 19 May 2013 05:27:09 GMT

This small pink, 130-year-old card from the papers of Sir Algernon Thomas is an invitation to the opening of Auckland University College in 1883.

The College, which became The University of Auckland in 1962, was officially opened by his Excellency the Governor of New Zealand, Sir William Jervois, on 21 May 1883 at a well-attended ceremony in the Choral Hall. Sitting on the stage alongside the Governor were the three new Professors, including a 26-year-old Thomas, and members of the College Council: Sir Maurice O’Rorke, Rev. D. Bruce, Rev. T Buddle, Bishop Cowie, Mr J.M. Clark, Dr Campbell, Colonel Haultain, Mr E. Hesketh and the Registrar Rev. R. Kidd.

Despite the fanfare, the new university was, in reality, a rather humble affair. With an income of £4000, no extra money for buildings and only the former District Courthouse in Eden Ave at its disposal, it was possibly not what the new Professors, fresh from the hallowed halls of Oxford and Cambridge, had expected.

To learn more about the University’s first 20 years, visit the Special Collections’ display, In the beginning: Auckland University College 1883-1903, in the General Library foyer before 14 June. Featuring photographs, letters and other memorabilia, the display is one of a number of events to mark the University’s 130^th anniversary.

Katherine Pawley, Special Collections

References
‘Auckland University College, formal opening’ Auckland star, Volume XX, Issue 4001, 22 May 1883, p.2. Retrieved from Papers Past.

Invitation card to opening of Auckland University College, 21 May 1883. Sir Algernon Thomas papers. MSS & Archives A-54, item 1/1. Special Collections, University of Auckland Libraries and Learning Services.

SPIE Digital Library

Engineering Library — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:39:27 GMT

The SPIE Digital Library contains conference proceedings, journals, textbooks, field guides and reference works published by SPIE, the Society for Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers.

The Library's licence provides full access to all publications in the SPIE Digital Library:
- Proceedings, 1 (1963)-
- Journals, from the first issue of each title
- E-books. Over 160 titles, published from 1989 onwards

It is now available as a Library database from

http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/databases/record/index.asp?record=SPIDigLibEbo

Controlling robots

Engineering Library — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:24:29 GMT

“"I use the movements of my eyes, eyebrows and other parts of my face", he says. "With my eyebrows I can select which of the robot's joints I want to move" smiles Angel, who is a Master's student at NTNU. … In the robotics hall, fellow student Signe Moe is guiding a robot by moving her arms, while SINTEF researcher and supervisor Ingrid Schjølberg is using a new training programme to try to get her three-fingered robot to grasp objects in new ways” Read more about these, and similar, research areas at http://www.sintef.no/home/Press-Room/Research-News/Controlling-robots-with-your-thoughts/

Atypical Crime Drama

Audiovisual Library — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:06:40 GMT

New Arrivals

Polisse (2011) Dir: Maiwen Call Number: LD12-1242

Watch Trailer

Image: Courtesy of Artificial Eye

“All the tears I shed were hard-earned. So were all the laughing and clapping and eye-covering” (Morris, 2012).

Winner of the Jury Prize at 2011 Cannes film festival and nominated for 15 Cesar Awards in 2012, Polisse follows the daily lives of the members of Child Protection Unit and is based on real events.

Frequently referred to as Wire-like, the film is at the same time sad, funny, upsetting and charming. An accomplished ensemble cast of French actors give incredible and naturalistic performances and the crime is unlike anything we see in conventional American crime movies and TV series: “Polisse is so like those shows that it’s utterly unlike them. It’s raw where, say, “SVU” is slick. It’s personal where “CSI” is histrionically forensic. It’s funny where “NCIS” can be labored” (Morris, 2012). This is an exciting and rewarding watch.

Reference:
Morris, Wesley. Polisse. www.boston.com. 25 May. 2012.

Image: Courtesy of Artificial Eye

Vulcan Demirkan-Martin
Audiovisual Library

A Short History of the Architecture & Planning Library

NICAI — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:24:34 GMT

The origins of the Architecture Library are synonymous with the School of Architecture. In 1926 the first Professor of Architecture, Prof. C. R. Knight, created the beginnings of the Architecture Library. The foundation was laid by making a small collection of his personal books available for the first students to consult as a reference collection. Professor Knight had always been convinced of the value of a library service for architects. His enthusiasm for libraries was made clear in one of his early Studio Programmes in 1929, which reads as follows:

“A gentleman has bequeathed to a University School of Architecture a large collection of books on architectural and related subjects which it is his wish should become a nucleus of a library for the use of students of architecture in particular...".

The total area specified was 4,000 square feet.

Unfortunately it took until 1947, when the School of Architecture moved onto its Symonds Street site, for the Architecture Library to assume its own identity within the University Library system. Ever since then the Architecture Library has been regarded as an integral part of the Schools life and teaching.

1958 saw the commencement of the teaching of the Town Planning course in the Faculty of Architecture, and the consequent addition of planning materials to the Architecture Library.

Now 87 years on from that first small reference collection The Architecture & Planning Library flourishes, and is still viewed as an integral part of the School of Architecture and Planning.

The School of Architecture Library, 1963.

Valerie Richards (nee Lockwood) in the School of Architecture Library, 1963.

Wendy Garvey
Architecture & Planning Librarian

Recent acquisitions at the Fine Arts Library

NICAI — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:56:04 GMT

We have a selection of new books on display in our velvet-lined cabinet.

Britain Creates: Fashion and Art Collusion is a collaborative project that combines the talents of artists and fashion designers. Included in the display is a poster by the New Zealand aritst Francis Upritchard and the designer Peter Pilotto.

Francis Upritchard : a hand of cards ; Alfred Kubin : the other side is another recent addition featuring Upritchard and accompanies an exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary in 2012.

Watermarking / David Bennewith, William Hsu, Marnie Slater ; curated by Melanie Oliver and Laura Preston was made as part of the artists’ collaborative contribution to the 2012 Liverpool Biennial.¹

While The liquid dossier: Nick Austin was created during Austin’s 2012 Frances Hodgkins Fellowship at the University of Otago.²

The display also contains a pagework by John Ward Knox in the Bulletin of the Christchurch Art Gallery, issue number 171.

Additional resources:

¹ http://bit.ly/15RvHBp

²http://www.otago.ac.nz/library/hocken/otago042171.html

Melanie Kung
Fine Arts Library

Top Six - 17 May 2013

Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:10:52 GMT

The top six this week are not just children’s books, we’ve also including an interesting and positive book about teenagers and reading which is one of those perennial issues for teachers and parents.

Book love: Developing depth, stamina, and passion in adolescent readers by Penny Kittle (Non-fiction)
Written by a literacy coach, here is one for secondary teachers to explore. Looks at why teenagers often appear to have apathy for reading and what can be done about it.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (Young Adult Fiction)
There are three medal stickers plastered on the front of this one so we just had to have a look. This young adult novel has made a big impact in North America, winning a Printz Honor Award,a Stonewall Book Award and the Pura Belpré Award which “is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.” (Pura Belpré website). It sounds like this one covers many themes: cultural identity, friendship, sexuality and coming of age.

Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller by Joseph Lambert (Junior Non-fiction)
Although there have been many books about Helen Keller and her teacher, this one caught my eye because it is in graphic format and therefore offers a fresh way for this inspiring tale to be explored by children.

31 Ways to Change the World (Junior Non-fiction)
Compiled by an organisation called we are what we do, this book is “inspired by the suggestions of thousands of kids” and suggests 31 actions we can all take. This looks like a great book for the classroom, but individual young readers will also find it thought-provoking to flick through.

Cow Boy: A Boy and his Horse A western graphic novel by Nate Cosby and Chris Elipoulos (Junior Fiction)
Leathery looking cover and the words “justice ain’t got no age” on the end papers make this an amusing- and unique- looking graphic novel for primary aged children.

ABC Zoo Borns by Andrew Cleiman and Chris Eastland (Junior Picture Books)
An alphabet book with gorgeous photographs of newborn animals.

How to Not Write Bad

Arts Information Services — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:38:23 GMT

Ben Yagoda says that teaching students to write well may be too ambitious a goal. Instead he aims to improve your writing by eliminating those common errors such as spelling mistakes, poorly chosen words, and train-wreck punctuation.

In his book How to Not Write Bad you’ll find lots of helpful advice, as well as a discussion of eggcorns, a potted history of duck tape, and a defence of the supermarket signs reading “Five items or less.” (p.73)

And what is is the single most common mistake? Forgetting to delete a word. (p. 59)

Spoiler alert: there’s a page of clichéd phrases that Yagoda would like you to avoid. Including “spoiler alert”. (p. 130)

Ben Yagoda, How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them, New York: Riverhead Books, 2013.

Engineering Ethics Case Studies How does one teach ethics?

Engineering Library — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:42:23 GMT

It can be a difficult subject and different fields (medicine, law, and so on) all have different ethical considerations and issues. This fine collection of engineering case studies from the Pennsylvania State University College of Engineering brings together resources from a variety of universities that have worked to address this matter. The cases are divided into separate areas that include Developing and Using Case Studies, General Science Cases, and Research Integrity Cases. Visitors shouldn't miss the bulk of the material covered in the General Engineering Cases area, which includes high-quality and contemplative materials on engineering practice ethics from SUNY-Buffalo and the National Science Foundation. The site is rounded out by a number of helpful cases developed in-house by Penn State engineering students. [KMG] From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2012. http://scout.wisc.edu/ Use it at http://www.engr.psu.edu/ethics/casestudies.asp

Sensory helmet could mean firefighters are not left in the dark

Engineering Library — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:41:58 GMT

“A specially-adapted ‘tactile helmet’, developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield, could provide fire-fighters operating in challenging conditions with vital clues about their surroundings. The helmet is fitted with a number of ultrasound sensors that are used to detect the distances between the helmet and nearby walls or other obstacles. These signals are transmitted to vibration pads that are attached to the inside of the helmet, touching the wearer’s forehead. Rescue workers, such as fire-fighters, who might be working in dark conditions or in buildings filled with smoke, will be able to use the signals to find walls and other obstacles that could help guide them through unfamiliar environments. Invented by a team of researchers at the Sheffield Centre for Robotics (SCentRo), the helmet was inspired by research into tactile sensing in rodents, whose whiskers give early warning of potential hazards.” Read more at http://sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/sensory-helmet-for-fire-fighters-1.265758

MarketLine Advantage case studies

B&E Information Services — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:49:12 GMT

The MarketLine Advantage database now offers access to over 160 case studies; examples of best practice across a wide variety of industries and geographies.

The case studies provide concise evaluations of the latest innovative company strategies. Case studies in the collection include Google, Facebook, Westfield, Sony, Cadbury and many more.

To access the case studies click on the Browse tab and then click on Case studies under Research type to access..

Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2013

Engineering Library — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:37:53 GMT

“This comprehensive overview examines the latest developments in key clean energy technologies: „ Technology penetration: how much are clean energy technologies being used? „ Market creation: what is being done to foster the necessary markets? „ Technology developments: how are individual technologies performing? Each technology and sector is tracked against interim 2020 targets in the IEA 2012 Energy Technology Perspectives 2°C scenario, which lays out pathways to a sustainable energy system in 2050.” Read it at http://www.iea.org/publications/TCEP_web.pdf

Zome competition 2013

Engineering Library — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:07:11 GMT

Dear All,

It is almost time, once again, to enter the annual Zome Competition sponsored by Fletcher Construction, with $2000 in prizes. Rules are available from the front desk of the Library. Teams are to comprise of 2-4 people.

Only 20 teams may enter and you need to register early due to high demand – registration opens on Monday 20th May at 8.30am at the Engineering Library front desk. Places fill very fast – usually in the first 10 minutes or less. Be here to queue at 8am to ensure a place. You will need your team’s names, ID numbers and e-mail addresses and phone contact details at registration.

The practice packs will be available at the Library desk from Monday 27th May and you will be able to practise from then onwards. You will need to build your model in one 4 hour session between 17th and 26th July i.e. Inter-semester Break and first week of Semester 2. Last year’s prize winning models are currently on display in the Library but will be pulled down before 21st to ensure originality of this year’s models. Prizes and certificates will be presented by the General Manager of Fletcher Construction Infrastructure at 4pm on 31st July and the Dean will be one of the judges, so there will be quite a lot of publicity for the successful competitors, including photos on the Faculty and Library web pages. Good for your CV!

Last year’s winning models are currently on display in the Engineering Library until the 20th.
Good Luck!

Wordless blown-up books for te reo Maori

Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:57:11 GMT

Several wordless blown-up books have arrived in the library from the reo Maori series Pihi. These will be excellent resources for teachers to use in classrooms. Wordless picture books can be used in several ways, such as to generate discussions with children about what is happening in the pictures. The children get to tell the story in their own way and explore the detail of the pictures. To learn more, have a look at the National Library’s information about how wordless picture books can be used. The quality material coming from Huia is great to see – these ones were published for the Ministry of Education and are linked to curriculum strands.

E tipu, pōhutukawa
A wordless picture book that tells the story of a pōhutukawa, from the time it is planted as a small seedling. It describes the growth of the tree, and the lives of the animals, insects, people, and community around it. Links to the Pūtaiao and Hauora (Taiao) strands of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

Nō wai ēnei whatu?
A wordless picture book that tells the story of a small beachside community, through the eyes of the different community members. Aims to develop visual literacy. Links with the Hauora strand of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

Ki te hoe!
A wordless picture book about a young girl who is excited about learning to paddle a waka ama with her friends and whānau. Linked to the Pāngarau and Hauora (Koiri) strands of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

Te māra kai a Koro
A wordless picture book that tells the story of a family who vist their grandparents' house to do some gardening with their Koro. Links to the Pāngarau, Hauora (Waiora) and Hangarau strands of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

A wind - 'mill' with no moving parts?

Engineering Library — Mon, 13 May 2013 00:19:36 GMT

“Since Wednesday, 27 March 2013, a model has been on display outside the building of the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). The model-EWICON (Electrostatic WInd Energy CONvertor) was designed by Mecanoo architects. The technology was developed by TU Delft in a consortium with Wageningen UR and commercial businesses*) as part of the Dutch government's economy/ecology/technology programme. This pioneering wind energy converter can convert wind energy into electricity without the use of moving parts. This means there is far less wear and tear, maintenance costs are lower and there is no nuisance due to noise or shadows. This means that the turbine is ideally suited for installation offshore or in urban areas, for example on the roof of a high-rise building.” Read more at http://www.ewi.tudelft.nl/en/current/ewicon/ and/or view the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqksCHWROBU

Featured Digital Thesis: Someone like us: meanings and contexts informing the delivery of dance in New Zealand primary classrooms

Research Support Services — Sun, 12 May 2013 08:53:38 GMT

Barbara Snook is one of the first students to complete PhD’s majoring in Dance Studies.

Barbara's thesis explores the meanings and contexts informing the delivery of dance in New Zealand classrooms. Findings indicated "the importance of valuing teachers and allowing them a sense of autonomy if dance is to be successfully implemented"

Barbara has chosen Open Access for her digital thesis and you can read it from ResearchSpace at http://hdl.handle.net/2292/19824

Have a great read!

Using sensors to weigh trailers on the road

Engineering Library — Sun, 12 May 2013 00:23:09 GMT

“Heavy goods vehicles on Norwegian roads will soon be checked and weighed automatically – while on the road. Advanced sensors installed in the road surface, combined with number plate recognition systems, will enable the detection of far more incorrectly loaded trailers than is the case today. This lies at the heart of a joint Norwegian project involving researchers, the regulatory authorities and the road haulage industry. At present, drivers are responsible for ensuring that trailers are loaded correctly in compliance with their vehicles’ technical specifications. But some organisations take chances and overload vehicles, thus creating a need for inspections.” Read more at http://www.sintef.no/home/Press-Room/Research-News/Weighing-trailers-on-the-road/

Featured Digital Thesis: Mediating imagination: planning the culture(s) of New Zealand cities

Research Support Services — Wed, 08 May 2013 05:33:21 GMT

Dr Elizabeth Aitken-Rose's PhD thesis investigates how culture is interpreted, promoted and enhanced through local government policy and planning in New Zealand.

Her thesis concludes that although New Zealand is a highly urbanised country, it has yet to develop the political institutions and public mentalities necessary to understand and advance the culture of its cities. Culture broadly conceived has proved difficult to capture in policy and planning frameworks everywhere, but this does not diminish the importance of the endeavour.

Read more about this thesis on ResearchSpace at http://hdl.handle.net/2292/19829

Why trees fail, biomechanically

Engineering Library — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:22:32 GMT

“It all started when two trees began to die in Matt Melis's front yard. When the NASA Glenn engineer noticed the robust health of a mighty oak tree in his neighbor's front yard, he asked for advice and was referred to local Cleveland arborist Mark Hoenigman. They've been working together to save Matt's trees ever since. … Understanding the biomechanics of tree failure was the purpose of a research project conducted by NASA Glenn Research Center and Morton Arboretum. With support from the Tree Fund, scientists learned more about how trees fail under wind and snow loads.” Read more at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/technology/morton_tree.html

Cross country research collaboration map.

Engineering Library — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:21:22 GMT

“Have you ever wanted to know which countries have an international as opposed to a national network of collaboration? Are you interested in knowing if researchers in your country work closely with national colleagues or do they stretch out across national borders to reach others with similar interests? Mendeley's data contains a wealth of information on collaborative research activity and our users create hundreds of thousands of groups in which they can share document references and files as well as have discussions around their topics of choice.” Check out which countries New Zealand works with at http://labs.mendeley.com/collab-map/

How to Write a Lot

Arts Information Services — Tue, 07 May 2013 01:44:57 GMT

Motivational books are not usually found in university libraries, but one that seems appropriate is How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Academic Writing. Psychologist Paul Silvia discusses specious barriers to writing (can't find the time... need to do more research first... need a better computer... or just waiting for inspiration), and offers motivational tools and practical suggestions for overcoming them.

The key is setting goals, scheduling time for writing, and monitoring progress. Silvia admits that an SPSS file for monitoring progress seems "nerdy, obsessive, and weird" (p. 40) but don't be alarmed, there are some New Yorker cartoons to lighten the tone.

There are also some useful tips on style. Here's a free sample:
"Delete very, quite, basically, actually, virtually, extremely, remarkably, completely, at all, and so forth. Basically, these quite useless words add virtually nothing at all; like weeds, they'll in fact actually smother your sentences completely." (pp. 64-65)

Paul Silvia, How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Academic Writing, Washington: APA, 2007.

Blogs at the University of Auckland Library

Naked Statistics

LIANZA Children's Book Awards Finalists 2013

Using the Library, 1933 - style. Marking the University's 130th anniversary

Can't find items on your reading list?

Desma Waltham Russell - Assistant-in-Charge (1962-1963)

130th anniversary of The University of Auckland

Image of the AV Library Display at the General Library

Celebrating 100 Years of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps

Top Six - 23 May 2013

Robotic insects make first controlled flight

Printable 'bionic' ear melds electronics and biology

Hydrogen to join electricity in ending traffic pollution

2011 Nobel laureate in Chemistry to speak at ICFPAM Conference

APA angst

NREL Quantifies Significant Value in Concentrating Solar Power

130th anniversary of The University of Auckland

SPIE Digital Library

Controlling robots

Atypical Crime Drama

Watch Trailer Image: Courtesy of Artificial Eye

Image: Courtesy of Artificial Eye

A Short History of the Architecture & Planning Library

Recent acquisitions at the Fine Arts Library

Top Six - 17 May 2013

How to Not Write Bad

Engineering Ethics Case Studies How does one teach ethics?

Sensory helmet could mean firefighters are not left in the dark

MarketLine Advantage case studies

Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2013

Zome competition 2013

Wordless blown-up books for te reo Maori

A wind - 'mill' with no moving parts?

Featured Digital Thesis: Someone like us: meanings and contexts informing the delivery of dance in New Zealand primary classrooms

Using sensors to weigh trailers on the road

Featured Digital Thesis: Mediating imagination: planning the culture(s) of New Zealand cities

Why trees fail, biomechanically

Cross country research collaboration map.

How to Write a Lot

Watch Trailer

Image: Courtesy of Artificial Eye