Bears?! In the library?

The first Saturday in June is National Black Bear Day, and while that might seem like an odd thing for a library to celebrate, the Consortium Library’s partner institution, Alaska Resources Library & Information Services, or ARLIS, might be one of the only libraries that includes a black bear in its catalog

Photo from Nalewicki, Jennifer. “This Library in Anchorage Lends out Taxidermic Specimens.” Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/library-anchorage-lends-out-taxidermy-specimens-180971948/. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Together, the Consortium Library and ARLIS offer numerous resources for those studying animal biology and wildlife management, including the databases Web of Science, which provides extensive scientific scholarly literature, and Zoological Record, which is the world’s leading taxonomic reference and the oldest continuing database of animal biology.

Check out the Biological Sciences Guide for further resources if you’re interested in biology!

Gardening 101

While spring might bring the urge to get planting, it’s crucial to heed the advice of experienced gardeners like Jeff Lowenfels (Anchorage Daily News columnist) before you get planting. Whether you are a beginner or expert gardener, the Consortium Library can help you create the garden of your dreams. We have fantastic resources: newspapers, gardening magazines, books and online resources. If you can’t find what you need, ask at the Reference Desk and we will be happy to assist you.

Check out the resources below to begin your gardening journey.

Jeff Lowenfels in the Anchorage Daily News
Lowenfels’ most recent column says it is still too early to plant, “Soil temperature just as important as air temperature as you start planting.” The Consortium Library has online access to the ADN. To find it on the Consortium Library’s homepage, go to Databases, click on A from the alphabetical list, scroll down the page, and select Anchorage Daily News. If you want to read it like a newspaper, choose: image. If you want the articles without the formatting, choose: text. To find Jeff Lowenfels’ columns, enter his name in the search bar and hit search. He also has a podcast.

Magazines
Better Homes and Gardens
From the Consortium Library’s homepage, choose Journal Titles, in the search box enter the name of the magazine, and find the issues in MasterFile Complete.

Horticulture Magazine
From the Consortium Library’s homepage, choose Journal Titles, in the search box enter the name of the magazine, and find the issues in MasterFile Complete.

Sunset Magazine
Read their most recent gardening column, “Your Spring Garden Checklist” by Kristin Guy. To find it, go to the Consortium Library’s homepage, choose Journal Titles, in the search box enter the name of the magazine, and find the issues in MasterFile Complete.

Online Resources
University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service (CES)
The CES has resources on Alaska-specific programs, research, and articles on “agriculture and horticulture; health, home and family development; natural resources and community development; 4-H and youth development.” Check out their website on Gardening in Alaska or learn about Berries and Wild Edible Plants.

Books
Check out the display of gardening books as you enter the Library. You can find many more by searching the Library’s catalog, too. Here’s just a sample:

The Alaska gardener’s handbook
Lenore Hedla.
“Flowers, vegetables and other food crops, lawns and groundcovers, sunrooms and greenhouses, trees and shrubs.”

Alaska gardening guide
Ann D. Roberts.
“Alaska Gardening Guide is arranged in three parts; a section on planting basics for the beginning gardener, a more in-depth section dealing with specific problems encountered in the various areas in Alaska (like cold soil, premature bolting to seed, or heavy precipitation), and a final section packed full of techniques and tips for raising particular vegetables.”

Alaska’s wild plants : a guide to Alaska’s edible harvest
Janice J. Schofield.
“Profiles more than seventy wild, edible plants native to Alaska with color photographs and descriptions, and includes information on plant habitats, harvesting wild plants, and related topics.”

There’s a moose in my garden : designing gardens in Alaska and the Far North
Brenda C. Adams.
“What do you do when a young moose calf wants to dine on your freshly planted Siberian iris? How do you harness the wild beauty of the north for your own backyard? There’s a Moose in My Garden tackles these questions and more with practical advice from an award-winning gardener. Adams provides helpful tips for far northern gardeners on how to design and build beautiful and healthy gardens. The book outlines the entire planning and planting process, covering such aspects as low-angled sun, soft light, expansive vistas, and a cool climate.” 

Indigenous food sovereignty in the United States : restoring cultural knowledge, protecting environments, and regaining health
edited by Devon A. Mihesuah and Elizabeth Hoover; foreword by Winona LaDuke.
“An anthology of essays, written from the perspective of practitioners from around the nation, that both identifies the challenges facing Indigenous communities in revitalizing and maintaining traditional food systems, as well as highlights the inspiring and successful food and health initiatives in Indian country.”

 

Take Flight with AMIPA’s Fundraiser

The Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association (AMIPA) is having a fundraising event this Monday, May 6th, at 6 pm at the Bear Tooth Theatre, 1230 W. 27th Avenue in Anchorage.

The fundraiser features the 1939 classic “Only Angels Have Wings,” which  has been reimaged from film to digital format using 4 K digital restoration. This adventure romance film features Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Rita Hayworth with action packed and visually stunning aerial scenes. Nominated at the 1940 Academy Awards for “Best Effects, Special Effects,” it won a place on the National Film Preservation Board’s National Film Registry in 2017.   Come enjoy a fun flight through the jungles of South America.

The film was chosen to highlight some of AMIPA’s own collection of historical flight cinematography and impart the importance of preserving these rare films. Prior to the screening AMIPA will be exhibiting their own  “aviation-themed motion picture clips,” carefully preserved from 8mm and 16mm film to 2K digital.

AMIPA was created in 1986 and since then has worked hard to stop the loss of historical film. They joined the Consortium Library in 2004 as a preservation partner. AMIPA can be found on the third floor of the Consortium Library. You can follow AMIPA and their events on Facebook.

Final Exams, Library Resources, Research Help, and Study Spaces

Final exams and projects are upon us! the most hectic time of the semester! The library has resources, spaces, and services to help you prepare for your exams, research your papers, and even find a quiet spot to focus.

If you are in need of resources for a research assignment, remember that you can Ask Us for assistance!

Librarians are available to answer your questions and help you quickly navigate resources every day of the week! You can email your questions, text (907) 312-1024, or chat a librarian. You can also call (907) 786-1848. We also welcome the opportunity to talk with you in-person in the Library.

Are you more of a self-starter? The library has guides on a multitude of diverse topics that will point you in the right direction!

We can give you tips for those tricky citations, assist you in narrowing down your topic, or find that perfect article or book! Just need a quiet place to concentrate?

Don’t forget that the library has both group and individual study rooms available on a first come, first serve basis.