Barns March 29, 2002
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentWhy are so many barns red?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Answer Person is a little rusty on farm history, but, apparently, so were many early, frugal farmers. Sara Begg’s “Why Are Barns Red?” in the March 2000 issue of COUNTRY JOURNAL concurs with many other sources. She wrote that a “primary component of red paint is ferrous oxide (rust), a plentiful ingredient that made red paint very inexpensive . . . [and that an] especially thrifty farmer could even mix stock blood with milk and achieve the same effect.” She also points to other theories, such as Scandinavian farmers simulating the wealth indicated by red brick barns.
Permanent search strategies March 19, 2002
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentEach month I go to the Current Contents web site to check the contents of about 15-20 journals. Because searches cannot be saved, I have to enter the list of journals every time, which is a nuisance and takes valuable time. Could we alter our subscription so that we can save searches?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Actually, you can save your search strategy; when you have finished all your searches go back to the main and click on the “Save Search History” button. Unless you are a Duke faculty member or graduate student, and have an Ovid Database Account, you are limited to 24 hour saves; with the account you become much more empowered. You can get more information at the Medical Center Library’s “Ovid Database Account” page: www.mclibrary.duke.edu/respub/guides/ovidaccount.html.
Bathroom Doors March 13, 2002
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentOne of the comments from Duke Police after the recent attacks in university bathrooms was “keep bathroom doors locked.” Clearly this remark was primarily concerned with dorm bathrooms. But the single-stall bathrooms abutting the far stairwell on the Perkins floors do not have locks, and it would be a good idea if they did.
The locks could be of the kind used in the ground-floor men’s restroom just off the connecting hallway under the Perk: The lock automatically opens if the handle is turned from the inside, but if the lock is closed, the door is locked from without.
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: A good suggestion. So says our building manager. Thanx.
Maintenance March 13, 2002
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentThere are about four fluorescent light fixtures burned out in the central study area on the fourth floor (where the couches, etc., are).
In addition, more than half of the lights are out on the fourth-floor landing in the main staircase. It is very gloomy there. Several of the light covers are missing–might be vandalism.
Some of the lights are out on the third-floor landing as well.
The lights out in the stairwell do not improve morale in the wake of an attack in the library–I’ve seen several people looking pretty nervous on 4.
Also, it would be nice if there were an obvious place on the web page to bring maintenance issues to the attention of the library. There doesn’t seem to be.
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: The lights have been taken care of. Also, the web page notice/form for reporting problems is a great idea. Thanx again.
Subscribe to Current Contents March 1, 2002
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentHave you considered subscribing to Current Contents “on-line” service? I realize that you have access to this service through a single terminal in Perkins, but many of my students have complained that the terminal is often busy (or they simply have not managed to find it!). As a graduate student at UC Davis I was able to use the on-line service via the University of California “Melvyl” System (and thus from any computer hooked up to the net). The service is much more convenient than the CD-Rom towers and is kept more up to date. Of particular use was being able to conduct a single search that goes back at least 7 years. Another useful feature was that I could receive weekly updates on journal articles with chosen key words. The list was sent directly to my own e-mail account. (note that access to the UC Current Contents account requires a password and thus is not open to non-uc affiliates).
I realize it is a costly service, but I would recommend it nonetheless!
Thank you for your time, Leslie Digby, PhD Assistant Research Professor Biological Anthropology & Anatomy Duke University Box 90383 660-7398 e-mail: ldigby@acpub.duke.edu
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS:
