Climate change, no pun intended, has been a hot topic in the news lately. Following the news of climate change activist Wynn Bruce’s death this past Friday, I thought it would be a good idea to round up several resources available that pertain to this topic, starting with general databases and adding in some books from our collection.

GreenFILE is a database that focuses on collecting resources on topics ranging from global warming to recycling to alternate fuel sources and more. Like other databases powered by EBSCOhost, your search bar is the main navigation tool.

You can choose to search a single keyword at a time, or combine terms using the “AND”, “OR”, and “NOT” drop down menu. Further down the page, there are also advanced search tools that can help you limit the results even further. Common limiters include publication date, full text available online, and peer reviewed.

Science Magazine is another great option for those researching climate change. As a magazine Science currently published on a weekly basis and has been in print since 1880, meaning there is over 140 years of historical data and scientific trends a reader can follow!

Environment Complete is a database with a focus, as the name implies, on environmental studies. This database is unfortunately not available during all hours though. To access it, please visit ARLIS in the UAA/APU Consortium Library on weekdays from 8am-5pm. For more information on ARLIS, check out their website here.

When it comes to books, there are hundreds of great items to pick from in our collection. If you need some recommendations, check out these great titles.

1. Climate Change by Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner
2. Global Warming in the 21st Century by Bruce E Johansen
3. Common Questions About Climate Change by United Nations Environment Programme: World Meteorological Organization
4. Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Warming by McKenzie Funk
5. Preparing For Climate Change by Michael D. Mastrandrea
6. Kivalina: A Climate Change Story by Christine Shearer
7. Dire Predictions: Understanding Global Warming by Michael E. Mann

Just as there are trends in fashion, there are also trends in the types of assignments that professors like to assign. It seems we have reached peak argumentative essay season around here so let me be your sherpa to the mountain of good essay research and writing!

Let’s take a look at one of my favorite databases fist, Points of View Reference Center. This database was built for argumentative essays. The databases is full of articles that explain the basic facts of a hot topic like “Working Remotely“, “The Big Bang Theory“, or “The Indian Child Welfare Act“. Within each article, there is an overview of the topic, an article arguing one side, and argument for the other side, and a guide to critical analysis. These are all amazing resources for figuring out how you want to present your argument.

Depending on your topic, there are any number of other databases I could recommend, so instead, let me point you to our amazing Topic Guides. There are several dozen guides covering a wide range. Based on your chosen topic, pick a guide that works for you. Each guide has been put together by one of the Reference Librarians with books, databases, and other materials that will help you complete your research.

Three guides in particular will be of great help to all students because the tips work pretty much universally, no matter what subject you are writing on.

1. What to Put in a Search Box
2. Types of Sources
3. Keywords
4. Scholarly vs Popular Sources
5. Evaluating Sources

Finally, here are some books that will lead you on your way to crafting the perfect argumentative essay.

1. What is Rhetoric? by Michel Meyer
2. Writing from Start to Finish: A Six Step Guide by Kate Grenville
3. Write to the Point, and Feel Better About Your Writing by Bill Stott
4. The Nuts & Bolts of College Writing by Michael Harvey
5. Keys to Great Writing by Stephen Wilbers
6. MLA Handbook by the Modern Language Association of America
7. Concise Guide to APA Style: The Official APA Style Guide for Students by the American Psychological Association

The semester is swiftly coming to an end, and many of you are probably hard at work on your final projects. For those of you who may be working on projects on the topic of the current conflict in Ukraine, here is a list of resources, books, and other items that may be of interest.

For those needing a brief overview of the current situation facing Ukraine, the database Points of View has a great primer entitled Crisis in Ukraine. This article covers the basic facts surrounding the crisis, provides several sources you can use in other research, as well as presents two opposing arguments regarding American intervention in the region. There are other articles provided by Points of View that you may also find of use; Diplomatic Relations with Russia, the United Nations, Defense Spending in the United States, the Twenty-Four Hour News Cycle, and more. Any one of these articles would be a great place to begin your research.

Our History Reference Librarian, Ralph Courtney, has put together a Library Guide specifically dealing with Russian history, including the USSR and modern history. You can find that guide here. This guide includes both physical books available to checkout, some databases that focus on history, and other web resources for research. If you notice at the top of the guide, there are also guides for many other historical areas of research all of which are excellent guides in their own right.

Additional to the databases highlighted in the Russian history guide, here are four more databases that may be of use:

1. Access World News: Full-text content from local, regional, national, and international newspapers. Also includes content from blogs, newswires, journals, broadcast transcripts and videos.
2. History Reference Center: This database includes the full text of reference books, encyclopedias, and non-fiction books from leading history publishers.
3. Military & Government Collection: Provides full text for military related periodicals and general interest magazines.
4. US Major Dailies: Full text articles from a number of major national newspapers including the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.

Here is a small collection of books and government documents that may be of interest. While this is certainly not a complete list, hopefully this will be a good place to turn if you need that extra bit of help.

1. The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy
2. Children of Rus’: Right-bank Ukraine and the Invention of a Russian Nation by Faith Hillis
3. Ukraine: Report from the Front Lines: November 30, 2017, Briefing of the Commission on
4. Security and Cooperation in Europe to the 115th Congress, 1st Session
5. Ending the War in Ukraine: Kurt Volker, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations: May 8, 2018, Briefing of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe to the 115th Congress, 2nd Session
6. Ukraine and the Art of Strategy by Lawrence Freedman
7. An Introduction to Ukrainian History by Nicholas L. Chirovsky

Finally, on March 16th, 2022, the UAA Department of History hosted a roundtable discussion entitled The Misuse of History and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine featuring UAA professors Dennison, Myers, and Dunscomb, and KPC professor Meyers. If you were not able to attend, here is a link to a video recording of the roundtable.

Did you know April 6th is National Walking Day? What better way to kick off spring then by taking a walk. There are tons of health benefits associated with walking, plus its always a good excuse to avoid your homework for just a little bit longer.

In one study, researchers took research participants on two walking trips, one in a rural area, and one in an urban area. They found that walking in both rural and urban areas had positive effects on mental health but walking in rural areas had the biggest benefit.

Another study found similar results. “This study found that walking through forest areas decreased the negative moods of ‘depression-dejection’, ‘tension-anxiety’, ‘anger-hostility’, ‘fatigue’, and ‘confusion’ and improved the participants’ positive mood of ‘vigor’ compared with walking through city areas.”

Anchorage is full of beautiful forested trails; many within a stones throw of the University. Take a look at the trails that are maintained by the Anchorage Parks & Rec Department. Just to the north of campus is the Goose Lake trail that begins behind the Conoco Phillips Integrated Science Building, does a loop around the lank, though a picnic area and back around. To the east in APU, there are several ski trails that double as walking trails in summer weather.

Still don’t think going for a walk is for you? Take a look at some of these other articles and see if any of them sway your mind.

Hillwalking and Walk Leading Motivations, Perceived Benefits and The Role of Natural Environment by N. Morocza
I Walk My Dog Because It Makes Me Happy: A Qualitative Study to Understand Why Dogs Motivate Walking and Improved Health by Carri Westgarth
Increasing Walking in College Students Using A Pedometer Intervention: Differences According to Body Mass Index by Erica Jackson
Walk This Way to Improve Your Health: To Gain Health Benefits, Walk at A Brisk Pace by Healthy Years Magazine
Walk to Benefit Mental Health by Paul Huggins
After-Meal Walks Offer Big Health Benefits by Matt McMillen