Ranking America

How does the United States compare to other nations in such areas as arts funding, life expectancy, math scores, or refugee populations? How about cheese production or civil liberties? The data may surprise you!

If you are curious, visit the Ranking America blog site, created by Mark Rice, Professor of American Studies with St. John Fisher College, to tap into the data. The data posted to the site are drawn from a variety of collecting agencies worldwide including the FAO, the World Health Organization, the World Resources Institute, and the British Geological Survey, among many others.

Swine Flu Resources

In light of recent outbreaks of the swine flu virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued respective information pages to track the virus and to supply the public with definitions, reports, press briefings, travel notices and practical tips for care.

Additionally, UW-Madison researchers and health service professionals continue to monitor disease reports and campus conditions, urging those who have recently traveled to areas where outbreaks have occurred to be alert for symptoms and to seek advice from their health-care providers, as need be.

Note: Ebling Library has also just posted information on its news blog.

Big and Small, We Treat Them All! (April 26)

The Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital will host an open house on Sunday, April 26, (from noon until 4:00 PM) to introduce the public to the many, quality-care services provided to animal patients and their human companions. Open house participants (adults and children) can tour the large and small animal hospitals and observe a variety of demonstrations—from performing CPR to brushing teeth.

The UW Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital is located at 2015 Linden Drive. Free parking is available in Lot 62 on the UW campus. Admission is free.

Arbor Day Resources

Is your backyard looking bare? Go out and plant a tree!

If you didn’t know, National Arbor Day is Friday, April 24. First observed in Nebraska in 1872 with the planting of more than a million trees, the holiday is now observed throughout the nation and the world. To learn about the history of the holiday, environmental considerations, or to find out how to celebrate, stop by Steenbock Library.

Get a historical perspective by checking out Nathaniel Egleston’s 1896 work, Arbor Day: Its History and Observance. More current works dealing with all things trees include, Plant for the Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign: An Album and Shaul E. Cohen’s work, Planting Nature: Trees and the Manipulation of Environmental Stewardship in America. You can locate these books by asking a librarian at Steenbock library or by doing a MadCat catalog search.

Another great way to learn about the history, facts, and ways to celebrate the holiday is by visiting the National Arbor Day Foundation’s web site.

With thanks to Sam B for this blog post.

Fresh Farm Atlas

The 2009 edition of the Southern Wisconsin Fresh Farm Atlas will be released at the first Dane County Farmers' Market of the season on April 18 and can be picked up at several university and area locations, including Steenbock Library.

Use the Atlas to locate farms, markets and restaurant partners who bring you fresh, area-grown produce and food products. Do note that many of the area growers welcome visitors with special events, u-pick options, hay-rides and tours.

Should you be looking for options outside of the southern Wisconsin area, consult the site for Wisconsin Fresh Farm Atlases.

Think globally, eat locally!