Drexel University Information Technology



Question 1

Question:

481 years between this site's completion(in 1430) and its official "discovery" by an American explorer (1911). But note that Western accounts of the spot have been found dating back to 1847.

name:

from:

confirm:

location: Sacramento,CA

area: Geography

reason: study for test

school: Yes

sources_consulted: askjeeves/askjeves

Answer:

Greetings from the Internet Public Library!

Thank you for your question about a site that was completed in 1430 and “discovered” by an American explorer in 1911. I had fun researching this interesting question. I found several websites that I hope will be useful to you.

1) The BBC News website has an article dated June 6, 2008, “Machu Picchu ruin ‘found earlier’”, that discusses the 1911discovery of the Peruvian site Machu Picchu by American explorer Hiram Bingham and speculation that the site was actually previously known to Westerners. The article also notes that Machu Picchu was completed around 1450:



I found this website by using the Google search engine with the search terms “discover ruins 1911” (without the quotation marks):



2) The website of the British newspaper The Independent has an article entitled “So, was the ‘lost’ city of Machu Picchu ever lost?” dated December 9, 2008, that discusses competing claims to the discovery of Machu Picchu, noting that evidence exists of

Western knowledge of the site dating back to the 1860’s:



This link is quite long and could break so here is a shortened link to the same page for your convenience:



I found this web site using the Google search engine (see link above) with the search terms “ Machu Picchu discovery” (withoutthe quotation marks). I found the web site “Machu Picchu on the Web” which cites an article on Hiram Bingham from The Independent newspaper website. That link is broken and I was unable to find the cited article but I found the article I have cited for you by searching the newspaper website for “Hiram Bingham.”

Machu Picchu on the Web:



3) The website for the Minnesota State University at Mankato eMuseum has a “Machu Picchu” page that confirms the 1911 date of the “discovery” by Hiram Bingham and the completion date of around 1460 – 1470 for Machu Picchu:



Again, this is a long link and may break, so here is a shortened link to the same page for your convenience:



I found this web site using the Google search engine (see link above) with the search terms “ Machu Picchu” (without the quotation marks).

I hope that the resources I’ve provided are helpful for your studies. If you would like further assistance, or have any other questions, please write back to us at the IPL. It’s been a pleasure to assist you. Thanks for visiting the IPL!

Question 2

Question:

When Eleanor Roosevelt died, there was a popular editorial cartoon that circulated- it depicted some cherubs peeking behind clouds, and looking down and saying "It's her..." I think that the cartoonist was Herblock (Herbert Block), but I can't find anything to substantiate that. Additionally, I can't find the actual cartoon anywhere- only people describing it, and they give different accounts of what the cherubs are saying (It's her,

She's here, etc). Could you tell me how to find this cartoon, or at least who the cartoonist was and what it really said?

I would appreciate any help you can offer.

name:

from:

confirm:

location: St Louis, Missouri

area: Other

reason: Someone asked me, and I had no idea. I just want to get back to that person.

school: No

sources_consulted: Wikipedia, general google searching, Historic NYT, Eleanor Roosevelt: a Personal and Public Life by J William T. Youngs, LOC Herblock exhibit

Answer:

Greetings from the Internet Public Library!

Thank you for your question about an editorial cartoon published after Eleanor Roosevelt’s death, depicting cherubs and saying “It’s her . . .” This was an interesting question to research and I think that I’ve found some useful information for you.

Page 77 of The Eleanor Roosevelt Encyclopedia, by Henry R. Beasley and Holly Cowan Shulman, (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001), references a cartoon by Bill Maudlin, published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on November 13, 1962, depicting three cherubs looking at an approaching angel and saying “It’s her”:



This link is very long and could break so here is a shortened link to the same page for your convenience:



Please note that while the book refers to Bill “Maudlin”, the cartoonist’s real name is Bill Mauldin, famous for his cartoons about World War II. Information about Bill Mauldin and his long career can be found at the “Bill Mauldin: Beyond Willie and Joe” page at the web site of the Library of Congress:



I was unable to find an online image of the cartoon for you. Unfortunately, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch online archive dates back only to 1988, and do not contain pictures or drawings. I also searched the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Online Catalog, which contains many Mauldin cartoons, but apparently not the one that you are interested in. Additionally, I searched using Google and other search engines with various search terms, with no luck.

If you are interested in searching for this image, you may want to consult books about Bill Mauldin. The Library of Congress web page I listed above has a “Read More About Bill Mauldin” page that lists several books by and about Bill Mauldin:



Additionally, I found a reference at the web site to the fact that after Mauldin’s move from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to the Chicago Sun-Times in June 1962, his work was syndicated in over 250 newspapers, so it’s possible that the

cartoon you seek was published in newspapers other than the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:



If you would like to search for newspaper archives that go back to 1962, you can try the “U.S. News Archives on the Web” web site:



I found The Eleanor Roosevelt Encyclopedia reference using the Google search engine with the search terms (with the quotation marks). I found the Library of Congress web page about the career of Bill Mauldin and the web page by using Google with the search terms (with the quotation marks). I have the “U.S. News Archives on the Web” web page bookmarked, because the IPL gets a lot of questions

involving old newspaper articles.



I hope that these resources answer your question to your satisfaction. If you would like further assistance, or have any other questions, please write back to us at the IPL. It’s been a pleasure to assist you.

Thanks for visiting the IPL!

Question 3

Question:

I'm looking for information on 19th century American architecture. I'm looking for sources that can help me identify different types of architecture, as well as a hands-on guide to historical preservation. I work at a mansion that was built around 1890 and I need basic information on preservation construction methods.

name:

from:

confirm:

location: New Jersey

area: General Reference

reason: Work project.

school: No

sources_consulted: Internet

Answer:

Greetings from the Internet Public Library! Thank you for your question about resources to help identify 19th century American architectural styles, and hands-on guides to historic preservation. This was an interesting area to research and I was able to find several sources that I hope will be of assistance to you.

Let’s start with resources to help identify 19th century American architectural styles.

The Internet directory site has a page on Victorian Architecture: 1840 – 1900:



with images and extensive descriptions of distinguishing characteristics of various architectural styles of the late 19th century. The author also suggests several books to be used for research on architectural styles of private homes. The book list can be reached by clicking on the “House Styles” link on the Victorian Architecture: 1840 – 1900 page, and then the “House Style Books” link under “Suggested Reading”:



We encourage you to check your local library for the availability of these and other reference books on American architectural styles. To find a library near you, a good resource to try is LibWeb, found online at:



I found the page on Victorian Architecture 1840 – 1900 by browsing the Librarian’s Internet Index (LII). There is a link to the LII at the top right of the Internet Public Library (IPL) homepage. Once at the LII homepage, I clicked on the following links, in order: Arts & Humanities > Architecture > Victorian.

The website is maintained or edited by a community of users. Because membership in this community may include non-experts, information taken from this source should normally be verified using other, more reliable sources. However, the

Victorian Architecture 1840 - 1900 page on has been prescreened for reliability and authority by the librarians at the Librarian’s Internet Index.

The Boston College Digital Archive of American Architecture website may also be helpful. This site contains a collection of images of various styles and era of buildings. The page for 19th Century Houses – 1850 – 1900 can be found at:



I found the Digital Archive of American Architecture at the IPL website. I entered the term “architecture” (without the quotes) into the “Search the IPL” box and clicked the Search button. I scrolled down to see the listing for the Digital Archive of American Architecture.

Next let’s turn to hands-on guides to historical preservation construction methods.

The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Preservation Briefs provide detailed guidance on methods for preserving, rehabilitating, and restoring historic buildings. They can be found online at:



This page also provides information on how to order print copies of the Preservation Briefs.

I found the National Park Service Preservation Briefs at the Librarian’s Internet Index (LII). There is a link to the LII at the top right of the IPL homepage. Once at the LII homepage, I clicked on the following links, in order: Arts & Humanities > Architecture > Historic Buildings. Scroll down to see the listing for the National Park Service: Preservation Briefs.

The United States General Services Administration (GSA) has developed technical procedures to be used in preservation, maintenance, and repair of historical properties. These standards can be found at the GSA Historic Preservation Technical

Procedures page:



I found this site by using the Google search engine:



using the search terms “historic house (preservation or construction or repair or maintenance) and methods” (without the quotation marks).

I hope that these resources answer your questions to your satisfaction. If you have any further questions on this topic, or any other, please write back to us at the IPL. It was a pleasure to assist you.

Thank you for visiting the IPL!

Question 4

Question:

What are the best sources on the web for finding statistics

name:

from:

confirm:

area: General Reference

reason: for research

school: No

Answer:

Greetings from the Internet Public Library!

Thank you for your question on the best websites for finding statistics. There are a lot of great websites for statistical information and I am happy to recommend some for your use. You did not specify a particular subject area, so I will provide general reference sources for statistics.

Fedstats is a United States government site that provides free access to statistical information from federal agencies reporting expenditures of at least $500,000 per year on statistical activities:



Fedstats is particularly useful because it provides multiple ways to browse and search. Users can search by keyword or phrase, geographical area, Congressional district, or federal or state judicial district, or browse the alphabetical topic list, agency name list, or statistical program subject area list. The most current statistical information is available in press releases that can be browsed through a list or searched for on the database. The database is updated daily.

Another U.S. government website that covers a wide range of economic and demographic statistics from both government and private sources is the 2009 Statistical Abstract of the United States, compiled by the Bureau of the Census:



The website can be searched by keyword, or browsed by Section Headings or by the alphabetical Subject Index. You can also browse the Guide to Sources of Statistics:



The Guide to Sources of Statistics contains an extensive list of primary sources of statistical information. The list includes the source name, website URL when available, and a list of statistical reports published by each source, including a notation as to whether each report is available on the Internet.

Earlier editions of the Statistical Abstracts can be found on the Past Editions page:



The University of Michigan maintains an extensive directory of Statistical Resources on the Web:



which can be browsed by category.

I was familiar with both Fedstats and the Statistical Abstract of the United States from previous research. I found the University of Michigan’s directory of Statistical Resources on the Web by searching the Librarian’s Internet Index (LII) using the search term “statistics” (without the quotes):



The LII has an extensive list of Internet sites that have been prescreened by trained librarians for authority and reliability. If you are looking for further sources for statistics on a particular topic, the LII is a great place to start your search.

I hope that the resources I’ve provided answer your question to your satisfaction. If you would like further assistance, or have any other questions, please write back to us at the IPL! It’s been a pleasure to assist you.

Thanks for visiting the IPL!

Question 5

Question:

I want to find more information in Gifted and talented education

name:

from:

confirm:

location: Camden, NJ

area: Education

reason: for me to understand more

school: No

Answer:

Greetings from the ipl2!

Thank you for your interesting question about gifted and talented education. This is a topic that I have a lot of interest in and have researched extensively. There are lots of great web sites that you can use to learn more about this topic.

You listed your location as Camden, New Jersey. A good place to start learning about gifted and talented education in New Jersey is the web site of the State of New Jersey Department of Education. The “Curriculum and Instruction – Gifted and Talented

Requirements” page gives a summary of the legal requirements for gifted and talented education in New Jersey.



The “Curriculum and Instruction – Frequently Asked Questions Gifted and Talented Services” page is also very helpful. It provides clear answers to commonly asked questions about gifted and talented education in New Jersey, including how gifted students are to be identified, what educational services must be provided to gifted students, and the process for parents to follow if they are dissatisfied with the education their gifted child is receiving.



The web site of the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC) is another great place to look for information about gifted education. The main page of this web site has links to information about New Jersey laws and policy, resources on the web about gifted children, awards and scholarships, upcoming events that include enrichment activities for gifted children and their parents, and other information:



There is also a National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC). Their web site has a wealth of information about gifted and talented education, including information designed for parents, teachers, and school administrators. The “Information and Resources” page is a particularly good place to start your research - it was designed as an organized and easily accessible location to learn about gifted education.

NAGC web site home page:



NAGC Information and Resources page:



The web site of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented presents the results of the Center’s research on “what works in gifted education.” The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented is a federally-funded research project based at the University of Connecticut.



Finally, Hoagie’s Gifted Education Page is one of the oldest, most comprehensive, and well-known web sites about gifted education, although it can be hard to navigate:



I keep all of these resources bookmarked for my own research, but a Google search using search strings like “gifted education” or “gifted resources” (with the quotation marks so that the words are searched as a phrase instead of as separate words) will bring up these and many other resources.



I hope that the resources I’ve provided are helpful. If you have any other questions, please write back to us at the ipl2.

Question 6

Question:

I need to know, which US military leader & politician had a

half-brother nicknamed Austin & what was Austin's real name

name:

from:

confirm:

location: calif, USA

area: History

reason: to prove my point

school: No

sources_consulted: alot of the internet

Answer:

Greetings from ipl2!

Thank you for your question about a U.S. military leader and politician whose half-brother was nicknamed Austin. This was an interesting question to research.

Several archived pages of the National Park Service’s “George Washington Birthplace” web site reference the fact that George Washington had a half-brother named Augustine Washington Jr., commonly referred to as “Austin.”

“Augustine Washington Jr. (Austin), his descendants and his half-brother George Washington, 1720- 1813”



“Augustine Washington and his son George Washington, 1694 to 1743” (see fourth paragraph)



“George Washington Birthplace National Monument – Popes Creek Plantation” (see second paragraph)



I found the first page using the Google search engine with the search string “military half-brother Austin” (without the question marks).



I found the next two pages by starting at the home page of the National Park Service’s “George Washington Birthplace” web site, typing “Austin” (without the quotation marks) into the text box at the upper left-hand corner of the page, selecting the “Search

this park” radio button and clicking on the “Go” button. These pages are the only items found with that search.

Home page of the National Park Service George Washington Birthplace web site:



The web site “George Washington Biography” page also notes that George Washington’s half-brother Augustine was called Austin (see the second paragraph of the “Childhood and youth” section).



This is a long link and could break, so here is a shortened link to the same page for your convenience:



I found the “George Washington Biography’ page using the Google search engine (see link above) with the search string “George Washington’s half-brother” (without the quotation marks).

I hope that I’ve answered your question to your satisfaction. If you would like further assistance, or have any other questions, please write back to us at ipl2. It’s been a pleasure to assist you.

Thanks for visiting ipl2!

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