A solar eclipse is coming. This longer than normal eclipse is bringing a storm of excitement for the lower 48. We won’t see this one, but you have plenty of time to get your eclipse viewing supplies ready for the next eclipse that will be visible in Alaska on March 28, 2033.  

Grab your solar eclipse viewing device, semicircular snacks and log in to the Consortium Library to do your research. Learn all about the upcoming eclipse and its trajectory in the journal “Astronomy” April 2024, Vol. 52, Issue 4. You can find the journal in our ProQuest Database. Want to know more about Astronomy? On the main Consortium Library page go to Guides. There is a Topic Guide for Astronomy, which has a link to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. Check out the journal “Sky and Telescope” or use one of our databases like “ProQuest Science and Technology” to find out why a solar eclipse can only happen during a new moon or search how to take a good photo of the eclipse with your phone. Read about the “unusual behavior” in animals during an eclipse to plan for your own study in 2033.

Alaska may miss the solar eclipse but we are getting some great northern lights. Check out UAF’s Geophysical Institute Aurora Forecast to find out where and when to see the northern lights. 

Knowing what type of source you are reading is important for deciding whether to use the information you gain from that source in a research paper or an assignment. Three common types of Publication Sources include:

• Popular Magazines & Newspapers
• Scholarly Journals
• Trade and Professional Publications

Professors typically have a preference to what type of source you must use for an assignment. They will usually explain this in the assignment guidelines. If you are unsure, make sure to contact your Professor directly for clarification.  For help understanding the difference between a Scholarly Source and a Popular Source, the following LibGuide is available for Students to access: Scholarly vs Popular Sources.

It is also important to note that just because something is published does not mean it is peer- reviewed. Individual Publications have their process for selecting and publishing material. Another important fact to note is that just because something is published in a Scholarly Journal does not make it automatically peer-reviewed. For help determining if a source is peer-reviewed, the following LibGuide is available: Peer Review.

Still need clarification, The Research Help Desk is available to answer any questions or concerns, ASK US, in person, via phone, online chat or email.

Your Wolf Card can get you a lot of places but it can sometimes be helpful to have an Anchorage Public Library card as well. One of our favorite resources available through APL is LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn Learning gives you access to online courses on a wide variety of professional skills – everything from learning Excel, Adobe Suite, or web design to project management and leadership. No matter what career field you are hoping to enter, you’re sure to find a course that will help you build skills and be a competitive candidate.

Courses on LinkedIn Learning are divided into three broad themes: business, technology, and creative. In all three themes, there are courses that appeal to beginning, intermediate, and advanced learners. In addition to individual courses, there are also Learning Paths available, which are sequences of courses to help you gain mastery in a particular subject. LinkedIn Learning also offers some professional certificates that include assessments and give you credentials that you can share with employers.

One feature that makes LinkedIn Learning courses particularly helpful is that many of the more technical courses include files that help you put into practice the concepts from each unit. For example, Excel courses come with Excel files pre-filled with data so that you can practice using different functions.

APL has access to a number of databases and services that are available to all Anchorage residents – and getting an APL card is free and easy. Find more information about how to sign up for a library card here and browse the available databases and online resources (including LinkedIn Learning) here.

Does this situation sound familiar? It’s late at night, and you just want to go to bed, but you can’t seem to make headway on that paper or homework assignment. Where to turn?

Fortunately, the library has resources to help you. 

Check out the Learning Commons on the first floor to find tutoring times for Math, Writing, Science, Engineering, Nursing, Languages, and Communication & Presentation. 

SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway) also provides Live Homework Help, which provides help with a number of different subjects, from Math and Biology to Writing or History. It is available from 8 AM – 2 AM (AK Time) Mondays-Fridays and Noon – 2 AM (AK Time) Saturdays & Sundays. You can chat with a live tutor online, submit a paper for review, get help writing a resume or cover letter, or even practice for a test, including grad school exams. Best of all, it’s free for all Alaskans! Which means if your child needs help with their math homework or a research project, they can use it, too.

It’s Pi Day! Pi Day is celebrated every year on March 14 on the days that correspond with the first three digits of Pi (3-14). In some places, the day is celebrated with Pi recitation contests and in others by eating all manner of pie. In 2019, UNESCO named Pi Day the International Day of Mathematics. We’ve highlighted some of the math resources we have available through the Library as well as a couple of bonus books to help you bake a pie in honor of this very special day.

Available through the UAA/APU Consortium Library: