Research Blog : fun

UPDATED: Book Cart Drill Team competing in "Tri-State's Got Talent"; your help is needed!

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:35:00 GMT

UPDATE (12/7/09 10:30AM): It turns out that the deadline for viewing was NOT Friday, December 4th, as originally stated. The actual deadline is FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18th. So we still need your help!

Below is the original blog post, with corrections made in red.

The EVPL Book Cart Drill Team burst onto the scene last September at Central's 5th Anniversary Celebration. With a complex routine based on Lord of the Rings, the EVPLBCDT wowed the crowds. (Missed it? See the epic performance here!)

The EVPLBCDT has a new drill, based on Alice in Wonderland, and is currently competing in Tri-State's Got Talent! We've uploaded our video entry to 14newstube.com, and we need YOU, our adoring fans, to watch it. The top 10 videos, based on number of views, continue to the next round of qualifying, with the eventual winner earning a spot in The Really Big Show scheduled for February 13, 2010. Help the EVPLBCDT simply by watching the video below, but hurry...the deadline for viewing is 11:59pm on THIS FRIDAY, December 4th FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18th.

(Video will open in a new window. Direct link.)

And due to fan demand, we've filmed an EXCLUSIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK at the EVPLBCDT. In this informative video, you'll get an up-close look at the team and find out more about the sport/art of professional book carting.

Thanks for your support and we hope to see you in February at The Really Big Show!

More Info

14newstube.com: Check out videos from all Tri-State's Got Talent competitors, and vote on them with your views!
EvansvilleArc.org: Find out more about Tri-State's Got Talent and The Really Big Show.
YouTube.com: Check out these book-carting videos on YouTube...you may not think of librarians the same again!

Central's anniversary celebration SUNDAY features mini-golf, Book Cart Drill Team, & more!

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:59:00 GMT

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Starting with a press conference on Thursday, September 17, we've been honoring Central Library's 5th anniversary with some special events. Our Film Festival wraps up this afternoon with a showing of Citizen Kane. On Saturday, we'll be hosting a Poetry Festival.

On Sunday, party with us at Central Library's Anniversary Celebration! There will be activities & entertainment for all ages to enjoy.

How many times have you had the urge to play mini-golf in the library? Satisfy that urge on Sunday, when we'll have 18 holes of mini-golf set up in Central's stacks (on the 1st & 2nd floors)! And don't worry...there won't be any water hazards. Get your golf game on from 1-5pm.

Enjoy some food & music in the café garden from 1-4:30pm. We'll be grilling hot dogs & hamburgers!

Over 20 cakes will be on display in the lobby from 1-3:30pm as part of our Cake Decorating Contest. Vote for your favorite! Winners will be announced shortly before 4pm, and the cakes (& punch) will be served from 4-5pm.

Nothing will prepare you for our Book Cart Drill Team's first public performance at 2:30pm in the lobby! With epic choreography & drama, the team will recreate a famous battle from literature (& a recent movie trilogy). With book carts.

We'll also have a scavenger hunt & appearances by literary actors (can you guess who they are?) throughout the celebration.

There will be something for everyone at Sunday's Anniversary Celebration. Hope to see you then!

Bird Jammin'

wag.mado@evpl — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:08:00 GMT

The Reference Department at Central Library often gets questions regarding animal behavior. One recent question was "Can a giraffe lick its ear with its tongue?" On any given day, we have to be prepared for those perplexing questions that need to be answered. One of you out there may be wondering if animals can dance. Well, read on and see for yourself.

According to a new study from the Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla California, humans are not the only ones who have a sense of rhythm. Some birds, dolphins, elephants and seals might be able to move to a beat and actually dance. One of the subjects studied by scientist Aniruddh Patel and his colleagues was a cockatoo named Snowball. Snowball actually lives in Indiana at Bird Lovers Only Rescue. He appears to prefer rock music - especially The Backstreet Boys. You may have seen Snowball on YouTube. He not only moves his head, but his feet and other body parts to the beat of music.

In another study at Harvard University, researcher Adena Schachner and colleagues studied thousands of dancing animals on YouTube and concluded that several species of parrots and elephants have the ability to perform synchronized movements in accordance with various musical beats.

Snowball was one of the favorites in both studies. And after viewing his videos, you will know why.

Out of these studies came a theory that the ability to dance is related to a propensity for mimicking sounds vocally - that somehow the two are interconnected. What about elephants? Well, they have been known to mimic sounds in their environment also.

So, there's your answer - although additional studies are needed to prove the above theory.

Oh, and by the way - the answer to the giraffe question is yes. The length of a giraffe tongue is about 18-20 inches!

Read more about animal behavior by checking out these books. Or, contact us today with one of your own questions.

The Best Medicine

wag.mado@evpl — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:56:00 GMT

Every three weeks we have a Lobby Book Display at Central Library on a different theme or topic. Some topics are naturally more popular than others. However, "Laugh Out Loud" in the month of March was such a favorite that we found it difficult to keep books on the display. The books were fiction and nonfiction titles that were generally written to make people laugh.

Now, I've always known about the importance of laughter since I first saw the "Laughter is the Best Medicine" section in Reader's Digest as a child. And as an adult, I learned about the psychology of laughter while studying Norman Cousins in my college psychology classes and later in a cancer support group I attended. But none of this prepared me for the speed at which those humorous books flew off the book display.

Just about the time I was preparing the book display, I heard that the economic recession was having an effect on the demand for humorous speakers.

Then, about two weeks ago came a news story regarding a new scientific study by Dr. Lee Berk which shows that "mirthful laughter" can raise good cholesterol, reduce inflammation and reduce levels of three detrimental stress hormones in high risk diabetic patients. And, according to a 2006 study by Dr. Berk, just the anticipation of laughter can boost health-protecting hormones and reduce potentially harmful ones.

Next, I discovered that May 3 was World Laughter Day and that it was being promoted by a group who practices Laughter Yoga. Who knew!

So, this got me thinking. Are people attracted to humorous things because they feel better just thinking about that funny stuff? Do they subconsciously know that a laugh is just what they need to get them through these stressful times we live in? Well, I think so.

So my proposition is this: Why not pull a humorous book or movie off the shelf every time you visit the library. Hold it in your hand and look at it often. Even if you don't ever get around to reading it or watching it, just the anticipation alone should be enough to make you feel better. And if you do read or watch it, just think of all those health-protecting chemicals that will be floating around inside you for the next 12 to 24 hours.

Something You May Have Never Done On Vacation

wag.mado@evpl — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:43:00 GMT

Are you one of those people who are going to stay close to home this year for vacation? Would you still like to do something you've never done before? Well, St. Louis, Missouri may have something for you. If you visit St. Louis any time this summer you can take a tour of the downtown area or a tour of Forest Park area on a Segway PT (personal transporter). The guided tours are offered by Glide St Louis Tours or Science Center Segways and range from $65.00 to $100.00 depending on the type of tour you are interested in. Take a look at the FAQ's for more information.

There are many other cities that offer Segway tours. So before you leave on your next trip, check to see if there's a tour offered at your destination.

And, if you decide to visit St. Louis, don't forget to check out some library materials before you go. We have guidebooks, books about the St. Louis Cardinals - including some DVD's, and much more.

If you would like to read more about the Segway and it's origin, check out the book Code Name Ginger by Steve Kemper.