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Access Alert - OCLC

Mon, April 3, 2017 12:00 AM

On Thursday, April 6th from 6pm to 8pm PDT, OCLC will be performing systems maintenance which may cause brief interruptions for online catalog services. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope this interruption will create minimal disruption to our users’ research.

Access Alert - OCLC

Mon, April 3, 2017 12:00 AM

Beginning Friday, April 7th at 10pm until Saturday, April 8th at 3am PDT, OCLC will be performing systems maintenance which may cause intermittent interruptions and delayed response times for online catalog services. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope this interruption will create minimal disruption to our users’ research.

Access Alert - OCLC

Thu, March 30, 2017 12:00 AM

OCLC is experiencing issues with multiple services, which may cause intermittent interruptions and delayed response times for online catalog services. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope this interruption will create minimal disruption to our users’ research.  

 

AP Images is moving to EBSCOhost

Tue, March 28, 2017 12:00 AM

The Associated Press’s AP Images Collection, one of the world’s largest collections of historical and contemporary imagery with more than twelve million photographs, will be hosted via EBSCOhost by March 29th. Though the content of AP Images won’t change, the search experience will use existing EBSCOhost parameters and be supported by all of the latest web browsers. To access images from 1826 to present with more than 3,500 additional photographs added daily, use the Library’s Database Collection or click here.

Access Alert - OCLC

Mon, March 13, 2017 12:00 AM

Beginning Saturday, March 18th at 11pm through Sunday, March 19th at 3am PST, OCLC will be performing systems maintenance which may cause intermittent interruptions and delayed response times for online catalog services. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope this interruption will create minimal disruption to our users’ research.

Be Aware: Elevate Your News Evaluation

Wed, March 1, 2017 12:00 AM

The UC Merced Library is displaying an exhibit called Be Aware: Elevate Your News Evaluation on the 2nd floor.

The exhibit has both physical and digital components. Librarians were inspired to create an exhibit after viewing a graphic on social media that placed news sources on a graph, with both X and Y axes, to show quality and bias. The legitimacy of news continues to be a hot topic in 2017. As news consumers, the onus is ultimately on us to seek out accurate news reporting and to be aware of multiple perspectives.

Through the exhibit, we aim to generate conversation about news sources and news evaluation. We hope our viewers will:

  • think more deeply about their own evaluation and consumption of news media sources.
  • become increasingly aware of the range of news sources available -- both in quality and perspective.
  • become more knowledgeable about news sources and news type.
  • recognize that different types of news articles often have specific purposes.
  • identify resources to assist them in news evaluation.

Follow us on social media for more content related to the exhibit.

Access Alert - EBL eBooks

Thu, March 9, 2017 12:00 AM

EBL eBook links are currently not accessible.  We apologize for this inconvenience and hope access will be restored shortly.

Library Receives Donation of 2,200 Books

Mon, March 6, 2017 12:00 AM

The Library has received a gift of 2,200 books from the personal library of Keith L. Nelson, emeritus professor of history at UC Irvine. The books are mainly about American and European history with a focus on international relations, arms control and globalization. The donated books are being cataloged and added to the library’s collection.

This story is featured in the latest issue of Panorama. 

 

Oxford Journals move to new platform, Oxford Academic

Thu, March 2, 2017 12:00 AM

Recently, Oxford University Press began transitioning all OUP Journals to the new Oxford Academic platform; on February 1st that all journal content migration was complete. In addition to journals, Oxford Academic will eventually house the majority of Oxford’s digital book and online product content.

CDL has identified two display issues which do not limit access to the content, but may cause user confusion and is working with Oxford to resolve these issues. First, site branding may cycle through different wording for an individual campus. While navigating or refreshing pages, users may see the site branding text change in the upper right corner. This is due to campuses having multiple administrative accounts on the platform that have differing account names. Secondly, access icons for subscribed content may display incorrectly as a shopping cart though the article is available. Should users encounter a shopping cart icon when browsing subscribed content, clicking “View Article” should still provide access. Note: Only UC- licensed content is still accessible. Shopping cart icons on content that UC does not subscribe to correctly indicates unavailability.

Notwithstanding these issues that are being investigated, the new platform has enhanced features such as device-agnostic design, more browse options and improved results list filters. For more information, visit the Oxford Academic FAQ page.

Agriculture in California

Tue, February 28, 2017
Author: 
Last month we covered the purpose and importance of the UC Cooperative Extension Archives. This month I will give you an overview of agriculture in California and then focus in on the three counties we are working with: Merced, Ventura, and Humboldt.
 
As I discussed in my previous post, historically California has been a leader in agricultural production and research, and that development is documented in the records of the UC  Cooperative Extension. Today California remains the leader in agriculture and ranks as the number one producer of agriculture in the United States. In 2015, California sold over $47 billion in agricultural products, made possible by its 58 counties and over 77,000 farms. 
 

Fast Facts about California Agriculture

  • As of 2015, California is the number one producer in the U.S. of the following:
    • Fruit, tree nuts, and berries valued at over $17 billion
    • Vegetables, melons, potatoes and sweet potatoes valued at over $6 billion
    • Milk from cows valued at over $6 billion 
    • Cattle and calves valued at over $3 billion
    • Nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod valued at over $2 billion
    • Poultry and eggs valued at over $1.5 billion
    • Other crops and hay valued at over $1 billion
 
In the U.S., California is the sole producer of:
  • Almonds
  • Artichokes
  • Dates
  • Figs
  • Raisins
  • Kiwifruit
  • Olives
  • Clingstone Peaches
  • Pistachios
  • Dried Plums
  • Pomegranates
  • Sweet Rice
  • Ladino Clover Seed
  • Walnuts
 
  • Agriculture from California is exported all over the world. Approximately 26% of its agricultural volume is exported and is worth over $20 billion. The top five export markets for California are:
1.  European Union
2.  Canada
3.  China/Hong Kong
4.  Japan
5.  Mexico

Why Merced County?

 
Merced is ranked as the 6th top producing county in California. In 2015, Merced County generated more than 3.5 billion dollars in total value of production. The top five commodities from 2015 in Merced are:
 
Crops $ Amount (million) Ranking in CA % of State Total
Milk $856 2nd

14.2%

Almonds

$552 5th

7.7%

Chicken $364 2nd 32%
Cattle and Calves $357 4th 7.9%
Sweet Potatoes $194 1st 89.9%

 

The main reason Merced was chosen as one of the pilot counties was because of its importance to the San Joaquin Valley and to California agriculture. Additionally, Merced County Cooperative Extension has the added benefit of being close to UC Merced, which has allowed me to become familiar with Cooperative Extension and their records without having to travel far.

 

Why Ventura County?

Ventura is ranked as the 8th top producing county in California. In 2015, Ventura generated more than 2 billion dollars in total value of production. Ventura’s top five commodities are:
 
Crops $ Amount (million) Ranking in CA % of State Total
Berries, Strawberries, Fresh Market $567 2nd

25.3%

Lemons

$259 1st

33.6%

Berries, Rasberries $228 1st 48.4%
Celery $194 2nd 37.8%
Avocados $188 1st 47.2%
 
Ventura County was chosen to participate in the pilot program in part because UCCE historian Rose Hayden-Smith, who has worked with Ventura’s records, is a knowledgeable resource for this project! Cooperative Extension was established in Ventura in 1914 and the Ventura office has retained valuable historical records. There are also historical materials out at the UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center, which performs cutting-edge research as well as hosts education programs for the community. 
 
 

Why Humboldt County?

Humboldt County was included in the pilot as an office from Northern California and because it was the first Cooperative Extension office in California. The Humboldt office was established in 1913 before Congress officially authorized Cooperative Extension in 1914. Humboldt was also the first county in California to organize 4-H.
 
Humboldt is the 31st top producing county in California; the top producing county for timber and historically a leader in dairy production. The top five commodities from 2015 in Humboldt are:
 
Crops $ Amount (million)
Cattle & Calves, Unspecified $52

Nursery Products, Misc

$50
Milk, Market, Fluid $42
Cattle, Milk Cows $16
Goat Cheese $12
*Data on Humboldt’s ranking in California and the percentage of state total is currently unavailable. 
 
I am looking forward to my first visit to the Humboldt office in May.
 

Where did I find this data?

This data I used in this blog post comes from the California Agricultural Statistics Review generated by the California Department of Food & Agriculture. I found the report on the United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This site allows you to search for data by state, county, and by subject. This service also lets you view data in a variety of different ways, including as geospatial data and interactive maps. In addition to the raw data, you can also access state and county level publications, which was what I did. Here are some useful links to get you started: 
 

USDA NASS Quick Stats Tools

USDA NASS California Statistics

USDA NASS List of available California Publications

 
Thanks for stopping by this month!  Check back in March for my next post! 
 

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