General Interest
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/explore/dgexplore.cfm?col_id=179
The New York Public Library has plenty of material on the Middle East, and in fact, they have created this very fine digital collection which brings together early prints and photographs of the region. With over 8800 items online, the collection contains engravings, lithographs, and salt prints, along with a number of complete photograph albums and archival compilations. Visitors can perform a general search of these materials, and they may also wish to read the background essay offered here as well. Clicking on the “Collection Contents” section will bring up a list of the works that make up the digital collection, which include Francis Frith’s 1862 work, “Upper Egypt and Ethiopia” and an ordnance survey executed by Colonel Sir Henry James in 1865. [KMG]
Wagner and his Operas [Quick Time]
http://www.wagneroperas.com/
The Ring in A Day [Real Player]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/thering/
In September 1876, Karl Marx found the time to complain in a letter to his daughter Jenny: “Wherever one goes these days one is pestered with the question: What do you think of Wagner?” In his life, Richard Wagner was the subject of great discussion and admiration, and his works remain immensely popular today. Taken together, these two sites represent a nice introduction to both the man and his body of work, and visitors will enjoy visiting both of them. The first site is maintained by Wagner enthusiast Vincent Vargas, and here visitors can learn about various productions of Wagner’s operas, his life, and also get a glimpse into the world of famous Wagnerians throughout history, including Herbert von Karajan and Birgit Nilsson. Of course, visitors can also listen to sound clips from some of their performances as well. The second site was created by the BBC and it provides some basic information about Wagner’s Ring Cycle, complete with plot synopses and material on the various leitmotifs utilized throughout these works. Visitors can also listen to an interview with conductor Daniel Barenboim about his involvement with his production of the Ring. [KMG]
Founded in 1881, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has been advocating on behalf of its members for over 125 years. Their work has included developing voter education programs, diversity initiatives in higher education, and hosting the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders. To get some sense of the AAUW’s history, visitors may wish to visit their “Online Museum” area, which covers some of their accomplishments over the years. Most visitors will want to visit their “Research” area as well, as it contains links to the full-text of reports like “Behind the Pay Gap” and “Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus”. Moving on, the “Fellowships, Grants, and Awards” section provides links to a wide range of scholarship opportunities and grants sponsored by the AAUW. The site is rounded out by their “Community Programs” area, which includes information on the National Girls Collaborative Project and their leadership development programs. [KMG]
The University of Wisconsin consistently ranks among the top university recipients of Department of Energy research funding, and their interdisciplinary work brings together faculty researchers and other scientists from engineering, chemistry, life sciences, and other related disciplines. Their Energy Institute website provides timely and compelling information about some of their work, along with offering archived webcasts and audio features from their various lecture series and presentations. A good way to get a sense of these presentations is by clicking on the “Events” tab and looking through their recent lectures and talks, which in the past have included “Geothermal 101”, “Beyond Ethanol”, and “The Future Landscape of Geofuels”. Visitors will also want to look at their outreach programs, which include information on the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute and The Midwest Rural Energy Council. [KMG]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/podcasts
Manchester, England has given the world many things, including parts of the Industrial Revolution, their famous soccer team, and of course, the Guardian newspaper. The Guardian has distinguished itself over the years with its breadth of reporting, and they were also one of the first newspapers in the United Kingdom to offer podcasts. This website brings together all of their podcasts in one convenient location, and visitors will enjoy looking over the different thematic areas, which include “Science Weekly”, “Media Talk”, “Bookclub”, and “Guardian Weekly”. Programs in the past have included pieces on John Donne, investigations into the workings of British politics, and overviews of the current theater scene. Overall, it’s a nice way to stay abreast of important events going on in both the United Kingdom and the world. [KMG]
http://www.reproductive-health-journal.com/
BioMed Central contains hundreds of important online journals in its archives, and Reproductive Health is certainly one that visitors will want to look over when they have a few moments. Reproductive Health is the official journal of the Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, and was started in June 2004. It covers all aspects of human reproduction, and recent pieces have dealt with cervical cancer, maternity care, and other related topics. Visitors can view the ten most accessed articles from the journal, sign up to receive an RSS feed of the latest articles, and also email articles to friends and colleagues. For those who might be interested in submitting an article for consideration, they can also do that via this site. [KMG]
http://www.seayourhistory.org.uk/
This website was created through a partnership between the Royal Naval Museum and other partners in Britain, and it gives a nice portrait of the British Navy’s history throughout the twentieth century. The site is divided into several primary sections, including “The Navy’s People”, “The Navy at Home and Abroad”, and “Conflict and Change”. “The Navy’s People” will delight first-time visitors, as they can learn about the incorporation of women into the Navy in the 1990s and the role of discipline and punishment in the modern Navy. The “Oral History Gallery” is quite nice as well, and visitors can listen to soldiers talking about their work onboard and the changing role of technology in their daily experiences on different military vessels. [KMG]
The exhibition web site for Edward Hopper, from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, features a slideshow of a dozen of Hopper's paintings, and a digital version of one of the artist's sketchbooks. Some Hopper paintings, for instance Nighthawks, 1942, have been reproduced so many times and in so many formats - posters, prints, t-shirts, coffee mugs - that they have become iconic and these are included in the slideshow. The sketchbook offers a more uncommon glimpse of Hopper's work: the pencil studies that led to his paintings, meticulously annotated by his wife, Josephine Nivison Hopper, his only female model. Another plus of the sketchbook is the ability to turn the pages online, and zoom in on details. [DS]
