Thursday, February 23, 2012

Year of the CSA, MACSAC Open House

Save the date! The MACSAC organization (Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition) will host an open house at the Monona Terrace, Sunday March 18, from 1:00-4:00 PM.

At the open house, you will be able to chat with growers and evaluate the different share options--often weekly or every-other-week deliveries of seasonal produce, eggs, cheese, honey or meat depending upon share plan and CSA farm. (And, many of these same growers also participate in the area farmers’ markets).

In order to plan ahead, take a look at the MACSAC 2012 Farm List to consider farms and share options that will best satisfy your appetite for produce and level of participation. Many of the farms have application forms that you can submit now.

In addition to supporting a local economy and savoring the fresh produce, there are some other incentives. Many health plans furnish rebates for CSA participation. Shares can also be donated to assist families in our community in need. And, less we forget, there are opportunities to volunteer and to learn more with a job or internship at an area farm or MACSAC event.

Data Management, What is Your Plan?!

Do you need to describe your data-management plan in your NSF grant application? Are you frustrated by losing your research data to disk failure, laptop theft, or record-keeping issues? Would you appreciate an unbiased review of your lab's data-management practices?

If so, then Research Data Services is available to help.

Research Data Services is a team of librarians, IT professionals, and research-support staff who help researchers with answering data-management questions. For instance, the team can help with addressing the following concerns:

  • Data-management plans for the NSF and other funding agencies
  • Best practices in digital-data preservation and data sharing
  • Process and workflow evaluation and assessment
  • Connections with helpful experts and other campus resources

Learn more about data management and arrange for individual consultations by visiting the Research Data Services Website.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Cycling at its Coolest!

Have this season’s milder winter temps had you eager for a ride?! If so, then check out the schedule of events for Winter Bike to Work Week (February 12-18, 2012). "Madison Bike Winter" and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin encourage you to discover a fitness and transportation solution with a winter commuting challenge. Visit the "Bicycle Blog" page to view the Madison calendar of events where you can outfit that bike, snack (hot coffee, anyone?!), and socialize with fellow cyclists.

Events remaining this week include:

Wednesday
Machinery Row Wednesday--FREE Coffee on Path outside Machinery Row; “Love Your Bike” 50% off tune-ups at Machinery Row Bicycles, all day; “Singles Ride,” single-speed bikes encouraged, meet at Machinery Row Bicycles, 5:30 PM; “Love Cycles,” indoor cycling, Speed Cycling in Fitchburg, 6:00 PM, $5 drop in

Thursday
Dream Bikes Thursday--FREE Coffee on Path; Yoga for Cyclists, Mound Street Yoga, 5:30 PM, $5 for anyone who bikes

Friday
Bike Fed Friday--FREE Coffee on Path outside Machinery Row; After Work Party, Brocach Irish Pub, Capital Square location with RAFFLE PRIZES, 5:00-7:00 pm; After Party Ride to Ale Asylum, 7:00 PM; Sobering alternative: Indoor Cycling, Speed Cycling, 6:00 PM, $5 drop in

Saturday
Winter Farmers’ Market Ride, Senior Center, 11:00 AM, arrive earlier to eat breakfast!

Optional Sunday
Madison Winter Festival, Cyclo Frost Costume Race, Capital Square, 8:30 AM

Monday, February 13, 2012

Of Love and Chocolate

While the Madison area is host to some wonderful purveyors of chocolate (Candinas, DB Infusion, Gail Ambrosius, Maurie’s), you may feel inspired to craft your own sweet treats. Check out a sampling of titles from Steenbock’s cookbook collection (or run some additional searches in the catalog). After all, hasn’t it been said that the way to one’s heart is through one’s stomach?! Locate some of these titles on the display shelving, first floor, or speak with one of the librarians for assistance finding available copies.

With thanks to Brittany S for compiling this list of titles.

The Chocolate Bible: The Definitive Sourcebook, with over 600 Illustrations - TX767 C5 C482 1997

The Book of Chocolate - TX791 R62

Chocolate: History, Culture, and Heritage - TX767 C5 C46365 2009

Ghirardelli Original Chocolate Cookbook - TX767 C5 L37 1986

Hershey's: Make it Chocolate! - TX767 C5 H448 1987

365 Great Chocolate Desserts - TX767 C5 H38 1991

Baker's Favorite Chocolate Recipes: A handbook of Chocolate Cookery - TX767 C5 B33 1958

Pillsbury Cookies, Brownies & Chocolate Galore! - TX772 P54 1993

Mrs. Fields I Love Chocolate! Cookbook : 100 Easy & Irresistible Recipes - TX767 C5 F54 1994

Hershey's Chocolate Lover's Cookbook - TX767 C5 H449 1993

Chocolate Artistry: Techniques for Molding, Decorating, and Designing with Chocolate - TX767 C5 G65 1983

Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor - TX771 B98 2001

Chocolate Delights - TX767 C5 G55 1985

Death by Chocolate Cookies - TX772 D47 1997

Brighter Baking with M&M's Brand Chocolate Mini Baking Bits - TX772 B75 1996

Chocolate Passion: Recipes and Inspiration from the Kitchens of Chocolatier Magazine - TX767 C5 B68 2000

Chocolate Cake - TX771 U78 2001

Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner - TX791 G786 2007

Chocolate: Pathway to the Gods - TX817 C4 D74 2008

Friday, February 10, 2012

Garden Expo (February 10-12, 2012)

Think Green with the annual Garden Expo! The Expo will be held at the Exhibition Hall of the Alliant Energy Center, February 10-12, 2012. The Expo features exhibits, seminars and hands-on workshops for the gardener and landscaping enthusiast. Many of the speakers are staff with UW-Extension, Cooperative Extension.

Ticket prices, on-site, are $8.00 for a single day, $11.00 for two days and $16.00 for three days (a discount coupon is available from the Website). Admission proceeds support Wisconsin Public Television. And, see what’s new for 2012.

Of related interest, Steenbock Library receives seed catalogs that can be found and browsed near the first floor vending area. Additionally, the library maintains an extensive collection of books about gardening, organic gardening, landscape design, composting, flori-culture, and pest management, among other related topics.

Consult with library staff for assistance locating and using these collections.

Unnatural History, Darwin Day 2012

"Toxic newts capable of poisoning humans, and the snakes that eat them. Delicate beauties and nightmarish monsters from the ocean depths. Plants that make a living sucking the life out of other plants..."

For all that and more, mark your calendar for UW-Madison’s annual Darwin Day(s), February 9-11, 2012.

The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery will play host to a series of lectures and science stations, free and open to the public, that explore the science of evolution.

The UW-Madison Darwin Day website supplies the schedule of events, speakers and themes, and a list of teacher resources.

"There is grandeur in this view of life... from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."
--Charles Darwin

Monday, February 06, 2012

Call for Projects, 3rd Annual Digital Salon

UW Libraries and the Digital Humanities Initiative invite students (undergraduate and graduate) to submit their new media projects for exhibition during the 3rd annual Digital Salon, April 15-20, 2012.

The deadline for submitting a project will be Friday, March 5, 2012. Complete the online form to submit a project to the curatorial committee.

The Digital Salon seeks examples of artistic and research-oriented projects that take digital form or rely heavily on digital technologies in the production process. Examples of this work might include podcasts, experimental videos, animations, graphic novels or essays, websites, blogs, multimedia installations, posters, etc.

Additionally, undergraduate students who want to participate in the Undergraduate Symposium can elect to have their projects displayed at the Digital Salon Exhibition at the Symposium (in addition to the main Digital Salon exhibition in College Library's Open Book Cafe and online). The Undergraduate Symposium is Wednesday, April 18 at Union South. To do this, students should fill out an application to the Undergraduate Symposium and check the "Digital Salon" box on their application.

Two previous exhibitions can be visited online: Digital Salon 2011, Digital Salon 2010.

The Digital Salon is organized by the Digital Humanities Initiative and UW-Madison Libraries, with additional support from DesignLab.

For more information, contact digitalsalon-l@library.wisc.edu.

Friday, February 03, 2012

Undergraduate Research Awards

College Library invites students to apply for its annual Undergraduate Research Awards. The awards celebrate excellence and creativity in using the library to complete an undergraduate research project.

(Examples may include a literature review for a lab study, the use of primary sources in a historical research paper, or the background research for a creative arts project).

Up to three Library Research Awards and one Research in Progress Award will be presented at the Undergraduate Symposium. (The Research in Progress Award is intended for projects that will not be completed before the award deadline).

Winners of Library Research Awards receive a cash prize of $300. The winner of the Research in Progress Award receives a cash prize of $150.

(Please note: The Financial Aid Office may need to modify your aid package if you were to receive outside aid, such as this cash prize).

The deadline to apply for the 2012 library research awards will be March 30, 2012.

How to Apply--the process:

1. Meet with a librarian or attend a drop-in information session to review and discuss your research.

2. Reflect on the various tools and strategies used to locate relevant materials.

3. Write a 600-800-word essay describing your research strategies and reflecting upon your experience--noting the successes, difficulties, and surprises you encountered.

4. Submit an application, a statement of faculty support, a final version of your project, and the essay.

Drop-in information sessions will be offered in the student services area on first floor (College Library) during the following days/times:

  • Tuesday, February 7, 4:00-5:00 pm
  • Monday, February 20, 6:00-7:00 pm
  • Wednesday, March 7, 4:00-5:00 pm
  • Tuesday, March 20, 5:00-6:00 pm
  • Wednesday, March 28, 6:00-7:00 pm

For more information, contact Kelli Keclik or Carrie Kruse.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Cool Science Images, Contest

Share your work or share your passionate interest in science by contributing an entry to the Why Files’ Cool Science Images contest.

The contest is open to UW-Madison students, faculty and staff and can depict objects or phenomena from any discipline. See the site and flyer for details about how to enter. Entries will be judged on their "aesthetic and informational qualities."

Deadline for entries will be February 28, 2012. Winners, who will receive gift certificates and enjoy the honor of having their images posted to the Why Files site, will be announced mid-March. All qualified entries will also be exhibited during the 2012 Wisconsin Science Festival.