Odum Library Blog

The recent earthquake and aftershocks in Nepal remind us that earthquakes are an ever-present natural threat. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program lists significant earthquakes of the past 30 days, including seismic information about the Nepal earthquake.

Learn more about earthquakes through these Frequently Asked Questions and this interactive page of children’s resources about earthquakes, including  Today in Earthquake History. You can send your further questions the U.S. Geological Survey directly with its Ask-a-Geologist feature.

Georgia is not free of threats from earthquakes. While the danger is very low in Valdosta and Lowndes County, “an earthquake of intensity V or over occurred on March 12, 1964, near Haddock, less than 20 miles northeast of Macon.” See this 2014 Seismic Hazard map of the state and more about earthquakes in Georgia and the geologic qualities of Georgia.

Odum Library’s Government Documents collection has a number of maps and other publications about earthquakes. See a sample on display on the Government Documents exhibit shelves in the 2nd floor Reference area of the library. For more information about any of these resources, contact the Government Documents librarian at 229-245-3748 or ecrogers@valdosta.edu.

Focus on the environment this week with a neighborhood cleanup as well as the celebration of Earth Day. On Saturday, April 25, 2015, come volunteer for the Great American Cleanup, sponsored by Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful, the City of Valdosta, and Lowndes County. Help clean up our area by contacting Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful at 229-671-3698 to participate.

Earth Day 2015 falls on Wednesday, April 22, 2015. Many government resources for celebration and education this Earth Day are available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. There you’ll find tips for everyday environmental awareness and conservation in the EPA’s efforts for people to make Earth Day, Every Day.

President Obama is visiting the Everglades National Park this week to focus on climate change and conservation of natural resources and to invite you to submit photos of places you’d most like to protect.

More opportunities for research and information about Earth Day and the environment are available through the Library of Congress’s Earth Day Resources page.

Within the state of Georgia, you’ll find more Earth Day information from the Georgia Forestry Commission. However you decide to help the environment this week, also make it an opportunity to learn more about conserving our natural resources.

Here at Odum Library, we can’t help you prepare your taxes, but we can at least help you obtain the information you need.

Odum Library has copies of 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ forms, available in the kiosk near the Reference Desk on the second floor of Odum Library. Other forms, schedules, and instructions are not available this year in print at our library, so the best source will be the forms and publications sites listed below.

Federal forms are available at these links from irs.gov:

• The IRS’s Forms and Publications page offers links to the most popular forms, which are also available in accessible versions.  A link to the entire list of forms is available at the bottom of the forms page.

• Need instructions and tax tables?  Both are also available on the Forms and Publications page.

Georgia forms are not available in print from libraries this year.  The state does have a site, the Georgia Tax Center, where you can create an account for dealing with your state tax issues this year.

• The most popular forms and instructions, including the most often used Form 500 Individual Tax Reform booklet, are available from the Georgia Department of Revenue web site.

• If you prefer, you can request State of Georgia tax forms by calling the forms order line at 1-877-423-6711, option #2, then option #6.

In addition, tax forms from all 50 states are available courtesy of the Federation of Tax Administrators.

Happy Spring!

April is Women’s History Month.  While this FDLP entry is focusing on government information sources as usual, our slide this month features a photograph of a Georgia State Women’s College student volunteers’ traveling Library Project funded through the Nation Youth Administration (NYA) and the Works Project Administration (WPA) to help bring library service to rural communities. (1938 GSWC Bulletin, courtesy of the Archives & Special Collections, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Ga.)

Womenshistorymonth.gov offers links to an interactive 3D model of Amelia Earhart’s flight suit, a collection of nursing pioneer Clara Barton’s archived correspondence and other documents, a PBS documentary on photographer Dorothea Lange, and a feature on women in the military.

Women’s History Month has existed since 1982; view President Ronald Reagan’s proclamation declaring its creation, courtesy of the University of California at Santa Barbara’s American Presidency Project.

The National Park Service hosts a multitude of sites honoring women’s history; tour a selection of these sites at the Service’s Inside Story feature.

The Census Bureau’s Facts for Features for March 2015 features interesting facts about women’s history in the United States.  For instance, as recorded in December 2013, the population of women in the U.S. was 161 million, compared to 156.1 million men.

During March 2015, learn more about women’s history, and be sure to honor the contributions of women local, regional, and national.

AfricanAmericanHistoryMonth.gov is but one of many government sources for information about African American History Month. Sponsored collaboratively by the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives and Records Administration,  and other federal government agencies, this site collects information about exhibits, event calendars, educational resources, and more.

For instance, the Library of Congress is hosting through September 12, 2015 the exhibit The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom. The online exhibit features timelines, multimedia presentations, and learning materials for the classroom.

Furthermore, the National Park Service’s cultural resources on African American Heritage page lists sites, exhibits, lesson plans, and more available year-round. The National Gallery of Art features highlights from its collection of works by African American Artists.  Visit the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Documenting African American History site for lessons and exhibits on topics such as the Emancipation Proclamation, African American soldiers in World War I, Frederick Douglass’s 1845 autobiography, and spirituals.

Geographically closer to home, the Civil Rights Digital Library, an initiative of the Digital Library of Georgia and GALILEO, provides a digital video archive, a civil rights portal, and a collection of secondary resource links to online educational content. Keep in mind that all of these information resources are made possible through your state and federal governments at work.

As classes resume for spring semester 2015, we hope you’ll find your way to Odum library to ignite your new year at VSU!  Remember that Odum Library is open its regular hours seven days a week.

Wondering how Odum Library is here for you?  We have quiet and group study areas, computer labs, a coffee shop, printer/photocopiers, and more here for your convenience–just ask at any of our service desks or take a look at our handy floor maps.

Maybe you’ve made some resolutions to try to improve your life in the new year. Whatever your goal, we can find a book or online information to help you get started right.

For instance, the U.S. government is a great source for current authoritative information. If you’re trying to eat better to improve your health and lose weight, ChooseMyPlate.gov offers online advice. Find out more about nutrition and get a free two-week sample menu at the government documents display, near the Reference Desk on Odum Library’s second floor.

Whether it’s dieting and exercise, money management, or stress relief, we’re sure to have resources to help you. Just contact Odum Library’s Reference Desk at 229-333-7149 or the Government Documents Librarian at 229-245-3748 or ecrogers@valdosta.edu for more assistance.

December marks the semester’s end as well as several winter holidays: Hanukkah December 16th-24th, Winter Solstice December 21st, Christmas December 25th, and Kwanzaa December 26th-January 1st.

Odum Library will be open regular hours until closing at 3:00 p.m. Friday, December 19th.  The library will remain closed until reopening at 8:00 a.m. Monday, January 5th.   For more information regarding library services and hours during the holiday break see this announcement.

December is the height of camellia season in Georgia; learn to care for camellias from the University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Service. The game of Bingo. one of only three legal ways to gamble in Georgia, celebrates December as its birthday month.View these Bingo FAQs from Georgia’s Bingo Coordinator. December is also Safe Toys and Gifts Month. The Consumer Product Safety Commission gives up-to-date information on problem toys as well as toy recall statistics.

USA.gov offers information on various holidays and traditions in the United States. These holiday tips can help you  budget your gift-giving, exercise, and diet. Plan ahead with top New Year’s resolutions, and stay safe with more health tips from the CDC.

Stay happy and healthy during this eventful month!

Odum Library will close at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, November 25th, for the Thanksgiving break. The Library will reopen at 9:00 am, Saturday, November 29th.

The history of Thanksgiving as a celebration dates back to before the familiar Pilgrims’ observance in 1621. Remember that November is also Native American Heritage Month. You can also read more about the history of Thanksgiving as a tradition and as a national holiday in the United States.

Before you prepare a Thanksgiving dinner, it’s a good idea to review these Seven Tips for a Safe Thanksgiving Dinner from the Georgia Department of Community Health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides these alternate routes for cooking a turkey.

Finally, if your plans include travel this holiday, be sure to consult these sources for travel information:

• Traffic and Road Closures from the Federal Highway Administration
• Air Travel Tips from the Transportation Security Administration
• Flight Delay Information from the Federal Aviation Administration

Whatever your holiday plans, we hope you’ll consider coming to Odum Library for your holiday reading and government information needs, and be sure to come back once the library opens!

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th, for important mid-term elections for office and, in Georgia, three constitutional amendments.

You don’t have to wait until November 4th to vote, though! In Lowndes County, advanced voting is available at the Board of Elections office at 2808 N. Oak Street, Valdosta, Georgia, on the following dates and times: 

10/13/2014 – 10/24/2014    8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Days: M,Tu,W,Th,F

10/25/2014 – 10/25/2014    9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Days: Sa

10/26/2014 – 10/26/2014   12:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Days: Su

10/27/2014 – 10/31/2014    7:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Days: M,Tu,W,Th,F

A number of resources about disease outbreaks and control are available from federal government resources:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list recent outbreaks, including diseases and food-borne illnesses.
• Find out how the CDC is responding to the recent West Africa Ebola outbreak and learn more about the risk of exposure, symptoms, and prevention.
• The Enterovirus D68, a respiratory virus, has infected 678 people in 46 states since mid-August.
• Summaries of data about reported healthcare-associated cases of Hepatitis B and C are also available from the CDC.
• The most common infectious disease in the United States is seasonal influenza. You can see the most recent weekly number of positive influenza reports, mortality rates, and an overview of influenza surveillance, also provided by the CDC. Remember that the best way to avoid the flu is through an influenza vaccination.

Be sure to take a look at government reports, hearings, and handbooks on infectious diseases, superbugs, and global health, available at the Government Documents exhibit near library’s Reference Desk. For further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the reference librarian on duty or the government information librarian at ecrogers@valdosta.edu or 229.245.3748.

Stay informed and stay well!