Slides for 3/23

You can find today's powerpoint slides here:

http://library.uncwil.edu/web/instruction/lib103/Locating%20Articles.ppt

http://library.uncwil.edu/web/instruction/lib103/Print%20Reference%20Resources.ppt

Announcements and Reminders

• The 11:00 class will meet in Leutze (old classroom) on Tuesday (3/28) for your database presentations
  
  
• I will not have e-mail access from Friday morning (3/24) through Sunday night (3/26). If you have a question about your database presentation over the weekend, I will respond to you on Monday morning.
  
  
• Database prices: If I am able to get a price for your database I will either e-mail it to you or tell the class on Tuesday. You are not responsible for finding the cost of your database.
  
  
• On Tuesday, I will have a sign up sheet for your final project presentations. Should you wish to present on the last day of class (4/27) you may do so. If you want to wait until our finals day (5/9) you may do that as well. Be prepared to sign up for either day on Tuesday.
  
  
• Course Readings: Make sure you refer to your syllabus to find course readings. If the reading is online it will be labeled as such and you can simply click on the title to get to the reading. If it's a reading that is in the Course Reserve system it will be labeled as such and you can click on "ERes" to get to that system.

Class on 3/21 Cancelled

Tomorrow's class (3/21) is cancelled due to several students having conflicts relating to Business Week.

You must be prepared to turn in your exercises from last week (Thursday's exercises) in at the beginning of class this Thursday (3/23).

You should think about using class time to work on your database presentation with your partner.

You also have a reading response due on 3/30. Check your syllabus for details.

If you have any questions, let me know.

3/14's Lecture

Today's Lecture slides can be found here: http://library.uncwil.edu/web/instruction/lib103/Subscription%20Databases.ppt

Example of news posting for Assignment #1

The following is an example of a news item relating to information. The following should serve as an example of how/what to post for news items for Assignment #1:

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"Winfrey Stands Behind 'Pieces' Author - Writer Has Been Accused of Exaggerating Memoir"
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/books/01/11/frey.lkl/
Posted:Thursday, January 12, 2006; 9:09 a.m. EST

From CNN: "LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The author of a best-selling memoir enthusiastically endorsed by talk show host Oprah Winfrey answered accusations Wednesday night from critics who say parts of the book are fabricated or exaggerated."

Having read and been impacted by James Frey's book, "A Million Little Pieces," I am shocked and disappointed that the author felt he needed to falsify details of his life that were included in his "memoir" about his battles to fight drug and alcohol addiction. After Winfrey stood up for the author on "Larry King Live," the author later came on her show and admitted to changing details of his life that were included in his book.

This brings up important issues about information. Who is responsible for this? Should the author be held accountable solely? Should the publisher be held accountable? Should the book be republished as fiction? Many look to print to be the last place left to find "the truth." With the ability to publish anything electronically/online on blogs, wikis, and websites, books have always seemed to be the last place one would expect to find a case of someone so misleading to their readers.

Are Frey's exaggerations enough to be called "lies?" He writes about a woman he had fallen in love with who hangs herself. He admitted on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" that she actually committed suicide by cutting her wrists. How far is too far when it comes to exaggeration? What does this mean for the publishing industry?

This story raises many questions about infomation and more specifically the publishing industry and future of books such as Frey's.