During the month of October designated as National Information Literacy Awareness Month UC Libraries invites students to think about scenarios that have to do with the way we use information and decide what is the right thing to do. Earlier this month we posted the following prompt:
Featured country: Cambodia
A constitutional monarchy officially known as the “Kingdom of Cambodia,” Cambodia is located on the Indochina Peninsula, surrounded on three sides by Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. Ninety-five per cent of the nearly 15 million people in the country follow Buddhism, though historically Cambodia was greatly influenced politically and culturally by Hinduism. In fact, the nation’s most visited and revered monument of Angkor Wat was originally constructed by the Khmer king, Suryavarman II in the 12th century as a Hindu religious complex. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, and is portrayed on the nation’s flag. In the 20th century, Cambodia achieved independence in 1953 from France, which had colonized the country since the mid-19th century. After the Vietnam War, a devastating genocide of over 2 million people occurred from 1975-1979 by the Khmer Rouge. Taking decades to recover, today Cambodia is experiencing some of the strongest cultural and economic growth in Asia through tourism to its beautiful heritage sites, textiles and the garment industry, and agriculture. And currently, the University of Cincinnati has two Cambodian undergraduate students on campus.
Source: CultureGrams
Featured library resource: Foreign Information by Country
Angkor Wat
In October 2009, President Obama issued a proclamation recognizing the critical importance of information literacy and declared October as Information Literacy Awareness Month. One of the ways to celebrate this event is to improve your own information skills.
Featured country: Bolivia.
Red on the Bolivian flag symbolizes valor (e.g., the blood of patriots spilled in battle); green, hope and the fertility of the land; and the yellow band in the center represents the country’s vast mineral resources.
Point of interest: Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco/Tiahuanacu).
This pre-Columbian archaeological site in la Paz is a UNESCO World Heritage
Sacred Statue in Tiwanaku – Bolivia
Site. Tiwanaku is believed to have obtained its name from an Aymara term, taypikala (“Stone in the Center”). Founded around 200 BC, this ancient city is considered an important predecessor to the Inca Empire. Tiwanaku has outstanding stone carvings and ancient buildings that exemplify the Andean pre-Hispanic civilization.
Source: Global Road Warrior.
Featured library resource: Collins world atlas : clear, detailed, and up-to-date mapping, latest stunning satellite images, UNESCO world heritage sites. London : HarperCollins, 2010.
Langsam Reference Oversize G1021 .H59846 2010
Posted by Olga Hart
Featured country: Belgium
Did you know the term “duffel bag” derives from the Belgian town of Duffel, where the thickly woven bags were first manufactured? Or that Belgian beer and chocolate are world-renowned? Approximately the size of the state of Maryland, the Kingdom of Belgium is located in western Europe, surrounded on three sides by The Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, and France to the south. Because of its strategic location, Belgium is one of the cultural centers of Europe, and the capital of Brussels is the seat of many European Union offices. Flemish, French, and German are the official languages of Belgium, however many people speak English, as well as Spanish, Arabic, and Dutch because historically the country has been a crossroads for immigrants. Belgium was devastated by the World Wars of the 20tch century, but most of its centuries-old castles and public buildings have survived, and today its vibrant culture make Belgium a nation of fashion, international commerce, and tourism in such beautiful cities as Bruges and Antwerp.
Source: CultureGrams.
Featured library resource: Foreign Information by Country.
On one of Antwerp’s city squares.
By Kevin Grace
No, this street sculpture in Antwerp isn’t a tribute to UC’s Greg Hand.
Featured country: Belarus.
The Republic of Belarus is situated in north-eastern Europe. The official languages are Belarusian and Russian.
Interesting fact about Belarus: The Belavezha forest reserve is home to the zubry (European bison), which became extinct elsewhere in Europe long ago.
Source: CultureGrams
Featured library resource: Ethnologue: Languages of the World
Posted by Olga Hart
Featured country: Bangladesh.
Fact: Formerly East Pakistan, Bangladesh came into being only in 1971, when the two
parts of Pakistan split after a bitter war which drew in neighboring India.
Source of the country information and image: BBC News Profile – Bangladesh.
Featured resource: Foreign Information By Country (prepared by the University of Colorado Government Documents Department).
Posted by Olga Hart
Bahrain is nestled on the western side of the Arabian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It is connected to Saudi Arabia by a causeway.
Interesting facts about Bahrain:
Source: CultureGrams
Featured library resource: Background Notes/Country Fact Sheets. See a report on Bahrain at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26414.htm.
Posted by Olga Hart
This post continues the series featuring library resources about the countries represented by the UC international community.
Featured country: Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is located in southwestern Asia between Iran and Russia, it has a 713-kilometer (443-mi) coastline on the Caspian Sea.
Interesting fact about Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan features 9 of the Earth’s 11 climatic zones in various locations throughout the country, making it unique from a climatological perspective. Azerbaijan’s climatic zones range from a semi-desert to a moderate area by the Caspian Sea.
Source: Global Road Warrior
Feature resource: Climate (in the Country Information CampusGuide).
Posted by Olga Hart
This post continues the series featuring library resources about the countries represented by the UC international community.
Featured country: Australia.
Source: Country Reports (from the Department of State).
Featured resource: United Nations. Cartographic Section.
Posted by Olga Hart