New online resources

JISC has announced that the British Periodicals Collections I and II and the Burney Collection will be freely available to universities . I can't wait to get on these!

History Corrected by 400-year-old Moon Map

This story has popped up on quite a few news sites over the past couple of days, quite interesting.

"Thomas Harriot, a wealthy but publicity-shy astronomer and mapmaker, produced a series of exquisite lunar drawings, one of which is dated 26 July 1609, pre-dating Galileo's much-celebrated observations of the moon by six months."

Presenting Research

There are many different ways of presenting research. The poster fair, for example, opens up a lot of graduate research to the public. However, these scientists had to produce dance videos and put them on youtube. Perhaps this could be an alternative to the conventional APG report? More details and some sample videos here.

Malcolm

Data visualization

Early Modern Notes has a fascinating set of links on data visualization. The graph of Box Office receipts, 1986-2008 from the New York Times is awesome. In fact, it's almost as good as what Edward Tufte called 'the best statistical graphic ever drawn': Charles Joseph Minard's diagram of Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia.

Ernest Gimson: events at New Walk

If you’ve spent too long cooped up in the library writing essays and researching over Christmas, why not go along to some of the exciting events at New Walk as part of their Ernest Gimson season? I have some details from Jane May - who gave the talk on Victorian underwear and other delights at Treasures, as many of you will recall. The potato bottle for gin was my favourite. There are various talks and workshops about Ernest Gimson and the Arts and Crafts including a free demo of metalworking techniques on Jan 18, another of chairmaking on Feb 14, a series of lunchtime talks at 1pm on Mondays starting Jan 19th (£4.00/3.50), a gallery tour of the exhibition with Jane May on Jan 24 (£2.70) and a hands-on look at furniture with Jane on Feb 5 (£2.70). Leanda de Lisle is giving a talk based on her new book about Lady Jane Grey and her sisters on Jan 25 (£2.70), which apparently paints a very different view from the normal innocent/helpless victim etc. And for those not still reeling from the woolly combinations Jane brought to show us, she is giving the full underwear talk aka the Victorian Lady Undressed on Feb 1st (£2.70). Details of all and more are on the museum website www.leicester.gov.uk/museums except for Jane’s lunchtime talk 'Good Habits and Hobbies' on Feb 9 which is about the wider impact of the Arts and Crafts movement on education and crafts in the home (very annoyingly this got missed out). Advance booking for all except the demos is recommended, call the museum on 225 4900.