Research Blog : reference questions

Got a Question? Text it to AskEVPL!

Bufkinite@evpl — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:20:00 GMT

Do you text?

Are you one of those people who keeps in touch by text-messaging?

Now you can add the library's Reference Services department to the list of places you can text! Asking questions has never been easier! Hosted by Mosio, a leader in providing mobile information systems, this service allows you to text us questions, while maintaining complete confidentiality, since your mobile phone number will never be revealed to us.

Send your messages to 66746 (MOSIO)

Begin your question with the word "askevpl" (without the quotes, of course), and then just type your question! See the graphic at left for an example.

During library hours, we will answer your question within 3 hours.

So now there are five different ways you can approach EVPL Reference Services with a question:

1. You can text us, as just described.
2. You can ask us in person, at the Information Desk of Central Library, or at the Reference Desk of any branch.
3. You can call us on the telephone at (812) 428-8218 during regular library hours.
4. You can email us using our online form.
5. You can instant message us using AOL, Yahoo, or Windows Live Messenger, or directly via Meebo on our AskEVPL page.

Whatever choice you make, Reference Services is here to answer your question, help you find the job resources you need, point your research in productive directions, and provide you with timely business information.

Now, what was your question?

Firefighting Rhinos?

wag.mado@evpl — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:11:00 GMT

OK, so it’s not your typical reference question. If it was, I wouldn’t be blogging about it. But, inquiring minds want to know, and they often ask the EVPL Reference department.

The question was – Do rhinos really go around stamping out fires? The person asking the question had just watched the 1984 movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy, where it was mentioned that if a rhino sees a fire, he always stamps it out.

Well, others have had the same question after watching the movie, so the answer was not hard to find. Apparently it is a legend. The legend began in Malaysia, India and Burma. In Malay, the rhinoceros has a special name, badak api, in which badak means rhinoceros and api means fire. However, there is no evidence in recent history that proves this phenomenon. It could be because rhino sightings are very rare in Southeast Asia due to poaching of these endangered animals. In any case, the rhinoceros that are still alive spend their time in the deep forest and high mountains, and are rarely seen.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that the legend is not alive and well in today’s modern world. If you search online, there are several fire protection products and businesses which use the “Rhino” name. There is also a 1999 Simpson’s episode that depicts a rhino “instinctively” trying to stamp out an SUV that has burst into flames. Humm…… I wonder if we got calls following that episode?

Speak your mind…opinions welcome, wanted, and appreciated

SuDocQueen@evpl — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:11:00 GMT

Hello out there to everyone in EVPL blogland,

I have a dilemma that I could use your help with. Every year I sit down to plan a workshop on useful government documents and websites (more websites than actual documents now-a-days) and every year I get overwhelmed with the glut of information I could offer… Do I focus on how to find useful health and nutrition information? Or on how to find those interesting statistics you always hear quoted from the Census and Labor Departments? Or what about consumer safety information? Or how to navigate Social Security’s website? Or how about following legislation? The list can go on and on. So, I’m opening the floor to all of you, the people that the government is trying to reach with all of this information. What do you most want to know about? What do you need help discovering? Let me know how best to help you.

Crunch!

wag.mado@evpl — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:45:00 GMT

It's that time of the year when the refrigerator is filled with an abundance of fresh produce. So, it wasn't a surprise that I received a reference question regarding the best way to keep celery fresh and crisp in the refrigerator. My first thought was to wash and cut the celery and put it in a glass pickle jar with a lid and a little water in the bottom, since that's the way my mother always kept her celery fresh. However, I soon discovered something I wasn't expecting - there are many opinions regarding proper storage of celery.

There's the plastic bag without perforations method, the wrap in aluminum foil process, the layer with damp cloth and/or perforated bag technique, and an airtight container approach (plastic or glass). There's wash and do not wash, AND any combination of the above mentioned. In fact, there are so many variations to choose, I soon understood how someone would ask for assistance with this baffling task. There are even conflicting ways to revive limp celery. Is it in ice water, or in lukewarm water? Of course, there are also different types of celery. I don't even want to go there!

So, if anyone out there has a definitive answer, please let the rest of the world in on it. Celery is a tough vegetable to figure out.

Happy crunching!

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.

For those Illinois legal questions ...

myzticrhythmz@evpl — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:25:00 GMT

Here at the Information Desk we get a number of Indiana legal questions, and we are glad to direct people to the Law and Legal Sources - Indiana section of the Useful Websites portion of our Web page for guidance.

Recently I was asked for legal information for the State of Illinois. The University of Southern Illinois School of Law has a Self Help page with information, free forms and links to cover a variety of legal issues. If you have questions about the do-it-yourself legal process in Illinois, this is a very helpful site.

The Library might be a solution to your problem...

kiya@evpl — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:07:00 GMT

The problem: A customer needed to locate a relative of a deceased friend, but couldn’t remember the relative’s name.

Her solution: Look up the obituary online, and find the name in the list of survivors. She went to the Courier and Press website, and searched for the obituary. She found a listing for the obituary but the text of the obituary was no longer available for free. They kindly offered to sell it to her for a small fee.

The alternative solution: She came to the library hoping to find the obituary in our old newspapers, and was disappointed to find we didn’t have the newspaper itself at our branch. However, I checked the Browning Genealogy Database, and found the entry for her friend’s obituary, complete with the list of survivors. Then a quick look at the phone book, and she had located her missing person!

I continue to be grateful to Mr. Charles Browning and family, for all the long hours and hard work that went into constructing this extremely useful database, which can be found at http://browning.evpl.org/

What puzzle are you working on? Maybe the library can help! Ask us.

Now You Can AskEVPL Direct

Bufkinite@evpl — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:35:00 GMT

If you haven't been to the AskEVPL web site recently, you're in for a pleasant surprise! Now, thanks to an bit of Instant Message software called Meebo, you can ask EVPL Reference Staff a question anytime.

Here's how it works: when you open the AskEVPL web page, the upper lefthand portion of the page contians a box labeled AskEVPL. This is the AskEVPL widget, and inside it is a smaller box that says "type here and hit enter to send a private message." An example of what the AskEVPL widget looks like is to the left.

Once you type a message and hit enter, your message will come directly to the library's reference staff, and will be answered just as it would if you called, mailed, emailed, or walked in.

You can still IM us using AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, or Windows Live Messenger, but if you don't have one of those IM clients installed, you can still IM us using the AskEVPL widget!

What is YOUR question?

Finding Recipes Fast

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:41:00 GMT

Recently I was looking for a lemon recipe and nothing in my cookbooks seemed right. When I turned to a friend for advice, she recommended two easy-to-search websites, All Recipes and Recipe Zaar. My friend and I looked together and ended up choosing a lemon cream cupcake recipe with a 4.4 (out of 5) star rating from All Recipes a few minutes later.

Have you ever come to the library looking for a recipe for something in particular; maybe a good vegetable soup or simple chocolate cake? EVPL owns thousands of cookbooks but sometimes it can take a long time to browse them and find what you want. Next time you need a recipe fast, try one of these websites!

Hummingbird Nectar

wag.mado@evpl — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:10:00 GMT

It's that time of year to fill your hummingbird feeder. And, in case you have forgotten, you can make your own nectar and save some money. Here's a recipe from the Smithsonian Institute's National Zooilogical Park website.

Directions for making safe hummingbird food:

1. Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water and bring to a boil to kill any bacteria or mold present.
2. Cool and fill feeder.
3. Extra sugar water may be stored in a refrigerator.
4. Red dye should not be added.

If you would like to know some interesting facts regarding our little friends, you can visit the Smithsonian's Migratory Bird Center. There's even a place to try to find a hummingbird in the National Zoo's Humingbird Garden. The little guy is in there - so don't give up until you see him.

And, when you finish exploring the Hummingbird Garden, you may want to pick up a book at the library the next time your in. We have these titles about hummingbirds and many other books about our backyard friends. Just ask one of us at Reference Desk to show you where they are located.

Stimulus for Seniors/Disabled

wag.mado@evpl — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:19:00 GMT

With all the talk regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, many who are retired or disabled have been wondering how they will recieve their stimulus money. According to the Internal Revenue, a one time payment of $250.00 will be made to Social Security recipients, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, disabled veterans, and Railroad Retirement benficiaries. The Social Security Administration Online states that no action is needed to attain these stimulus payments. Recipients should automatically receive their money by the end of May 2009, in the same manner they normally receive their benefits. SSA also provides a very useful Frequently Asked Questions page and provides a phone number for those who do not receive their stimulus by June 4. You can even sign up for FAQ update notifications through your email if you choose.