Digital Scholar Bytes: Celebrating World GIS Day: Unveiling the Power of Spatial Intelligence

GIS Day

In the realm of modern technology, where data is the new currency, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) stand as the unsung heroes orchestrating a symphony of spatial intelligence. November 15 marks World GIS Day, a celebration that shines a spotlight on the transformative impact of GIS in our interconnected world.

Originally conceived by Jack Dangermond, the founder and president of Esri, GIS Day is for people to explore GIS technology and to demonstrate how geospatial technology affects everyone. Real real-world applications of GIS are making a difference in business, government and society. At its essence, GIS are more than just maps and coordinates; it’s a dynamic system that integrates data with geographic locations, unraveling patterns, relationships, and insights that might otherwise remain hidden.

“GIS Day is a wonderful opportunity for professionals from around the world to get together to share their amazing work,” said Dangermond. “These individuals are using GIS technology to take a geographic approach in addressing unprecedented challenges, from COVID-19 to climate change. Organizations across the globe are taking part in grassroots events that help celebrate geospatial science and how it impacts the real world for good. Our users should be proud of their achievements in the field, which GIS Day is meant to showcase.”

Here are four examples of how GIS are improving our society.

Better Traffic Management

GIS are the architects of smart cities. It optimizes traffic flow, designs efficient public transportation systems, and aids in disaster preparedness. By visualizing data in a geographic context, city planners can make informed decisions that enhance the quality of urban life. This can include considerations for green spaces, zoning regulations, and infrastructure development.

Disease Mapping and Epidemiology

GIS enables the mapping of disease outbreaks, helping health professionals visualize the spread of infections. It assists in identifying high-risk areas, facilitating targeted interventions and resource allocation. The first case of using geography and spatial analysis to track disease was by Charles Picquet in 1832 in Paris, during the cholera outbreak.

Disaster Response and Management

When disasters strike, time is of the essence. GIS aid in rapid response and effective management of natural disasters. By overlaying real-time data with geographic information, emergency responders can streamline their efforts, saving lives and minimizing damage.

AI-powered GIS

The integration of AI with GIS revolutionizes spatial analysis and decision-making. AI enhances GIS capabilities through autonomous agents. These agents automate data interpretation, enable predictive modeling, and extract meaningful insights from vast geospatial datasets.

 

In conclusion, World GIS Day is not just a celebration of a technology, it is a celebration of the profound impact GIS has on our understanding of the world. From unraveling the mysteries of our environment to empowering individuals with the tools to create change, GIS are a testament to the transformative power of spatial intelligence. Let’s celebrate the achievements of GIS and look forward to the innovations that will shape our spatial future.

Further Reading

National Geographic Society, and ESRI. 2023. National Geographic and ESRI: Exploring with GIS. A documentary mini-series.
ESRI. What is GIS? 2023. ESRI.
SpatialPost. 2023. The Evolution Of GIS: From Mapping To Spatial Intelligence. SpatialPost. November 12.
Zhenlong Li & Huan Ning. 2023. “Autonomous GIS: the next-generation AI-powered GIS,” International Journal of Digital Earth, 16:2, 4668-4686.

Digital Scholar Bytes: World Digital Preservation Day: Safeguarding Our Digital Heritage

Happy World Digital Preservation Day 2023!

On November 2nd every year, the global digital preservation community comes together to celebrate World Digital Preservation Day. This annual event serves as a reminder of the critical importance of preserving our digital heritage and the challenges that come with it. This year’s theme: “Digital Preservation: A Concerted Effort.”

The History of World Digital Preservation Day

World Digital Preservation Day (WDPD) is a relatively new addition to the calendar of events in the digital preservation field. It was first established in 2010 by the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC), a not-for-profit membership organization that works to secure our digital legacy. Professionals from a wide range of fields, including libraries, archives, museums, and research institutions participate.

The primary goal of WDPD is to create global awareness about the challenges of preserving digital content and to inspire actions that safeguard our digital heritage for future generations. This event provides a platform for experts and enthusiasts to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices in the field of digital preservation.

The Main Issues in Digital Preservation

Preservation of Digital Materials: The rapid pace of technological advancement results in the constant obsolescence of hardware and software. This makes it challenging to preserve and access digital materials, including documents, images, and multimedia content. WDPD highlights the need for active preservation strategies to ensure long-term access to digital assets.

Data Loss and Digital Obsolescence: Digital data is fragile and susceptible to loss. The risk of losing valuable information due to factors like hardware failure, media decay, and format obsolescence, is paramount. The importance of migration and emulation to combat obsolescence issues cannot be understated.

Digital Privacy and Ethical Considerations: Preserving digital content often involves handling sensitive information. Ethical considerations surrounding digital preservation, such as privacy concerns, consent, and data protection regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), are complicated.

Access to Digital Heritage: One issue that WDPD addresses is making sure that digital heritage is accessible to future generations. Standards and best practices that support long-term access to digital content and research data is part of the discussion.

Research and Innovation: Preserving digital heritage effectively fosters research and innovation. WDPD underscores the potential for data reuse, computational analysis, and the development of new technologies in digital preservation.

The Future of Digital Preservation

As the digital world continues to evolve, the challenges of preserving digital heritage become more complex. The exponential growth of digital content, the rise of big data, and the development of new technologies all impact the way we approach digital preservation.

The future of digital preservation will be shaped by such technologies as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and decentralized storage offer promising solutions for long-term data preservation. These innovations will be crucial in addressing the challenges of data loss and obsolescence.

Interdisciplinary collaboration between diverse fields, such as computer science, data science, and information management, will lead to innovative preservation strategies that accommodate the evolving digital landscape. International collaboration in digital preservation will become increasingly essential. Cross-border partnerships and standards will help ensure that digital heritage remains accessible worldwide.

Digital Stewardship educational initiatives focusing on digital stewardship and preservation will become more prevalent. These programs will equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to manage and preserve digital content effectively. In 2010, the Library of Congress created the Digital Preservation OutReach and Education Network program for such professionals. WRLC sponsored the program in 2016 and three CUA Librarians attended.

World Digital Preservation Day is a vital event in the digital preservation community, serving as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding our digital heritage. It addresses critical issues related to digital preservation, inspires collaboration, and offers a glimpse into the future of this ever-evolving field.

Further reading

Adams, Caralee. 2022. In an Ever-Expanding Library, Using Decentralized Storage to Keep Your Materials Safe. Internet Archives Blog. March 11.

Digital Preservation Coalition. https://www.dpconline.org/

Digital Preservation Handbook. https://www.dpconline.org/handbook

Digital Preservation Coalition. The Global ‘Bit List’ of Endangered Digital Species. https://www.dpconline.org/digipres/champion-digital-preservation/bit-list

Jaillant, Lise, and Arran Rees. 2023. Applying AI to digital archives: trust, collaboration and shared professional ethics. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 38 (2): 571-585.

Oldham, Krista M. 2020. Partners for Preservation: Advancing Digital Preservation through Cross-Community Collaboration. The American Archivist 83 (2): 487–490.

News and Events: WRLC, a Valuable Resource

 

For over 35 years, the Washington Research Library Consortium has taken decisive action to empower students and faculty in our member institutions. Through our collaborative partnership, WRLC consistently achieves substantive outcomes by:

  • Hosting a preservation-quality space for print materials
  • Actively promoting college affordability through open access books, journals, and textbooks
  • Ensuring a secure environment for digital content
  • Strengthening partner library staff through centralized training, support, and professional development initiatives.

The WRLC community consists of:

  • WRLC Staff: 18
  • Member Institutions’ Library Staff: 550+
  • Students Served: 110,000+
  • Faculty Supported: 9,000+

Digital Resources:

  • JSTOR E-books Provided: 88,000
  • Cost per Use: $0.60
  • DeGruyter E-books and Journals: 17,000

 

Collaborative investments from our partners within WRLC empower us to collectively achieve ambitious objectives on a scale that would be cost-prohibitive when pursued independently. Our shared vision underscores the principle that each financial contribution to WRLC not only yields substantial returns but also fortifies our community of trust. This interdependent relationship serves as a cornerstone for the advancement of pedagogy, scholarship, and research, profoundly benefiting our academic ecosystem.

 

 

 

Gale Digital Scholar Lab: Understanding Sentiment Analysis

Gale Digital Scholar Lab has six analysis tools built into it with Sentiment Analysis being one. Sentiment Analysis is the method of revealing trends or patterns in positive, negative, or neutral sentiment within a collected set of documents.  “Sentiment Analysis uses the AFINN Lexicon to assign a “sentiment score” to each document within a researcher’s content set, then provides two interactive visualizations of this data. In this webinar, Senior Digital Humanities Specialist Dr. Sarah Ketchley will show how to run the Sentiment Analysis tool, explain the recent upgrade to this tool, and discuss how Sentiment Analysis can be used in Digital Humanities projects to answer research questions.”

Date: Monday October 30, 3:00-4:00pm

Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/8916952637130/WN_mvfHxuYaTna7cNrSwH97DQ

Instructor: Dr. Sarah Ketchley. Digital Humanist Scholar, Gale

Gale Literature Resource Center New Enhancements

Gale’s Literature Resource Center has added new enhancements and content that will help with your research needs. This webinar will be “a tour of the all-new browse functionality, 700+ portal pages focused on works of literature and literary topics, new primary and historical document sets, plus access to an additional 100+ original works of literature. The enhancements are aimed to empower students working with primary sources and to provide instructors with easy-to-find materials that inspire learning.”

When: Wednesday, October 25, 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM

Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/2316920231155/WN_FvoHj-q4Seig3dm2qGYY1A

If you have general questions about Gale Literature Resource Center, please contact Kevin Gunn, liaison librarian to the Departments of English and Modern Languages and Literatures.

Peer Review Models and Misconceptions

As part of Peer Review Week (September 25-29, 2023), it is advantageous for us to explore the changing nature of peer review and the models that have sprung up over the years. For example, as the editor-in-chief for a Taylor & Francis academic journal, College & Undergraduate Libraries, I regularly return manuscripts back to the author as they do not seem to understand that anonymity is required in peer review (the journal uses double-blind peer review), the traditional standard for most academic journals. Double-blind peer review is where the author does not know the peer reviewers (and vice versa) and the peer reviewers do not know each other. This working in isolation allows the reviewer to offer an honest assessment without the taint of bias towards the author or his affiliation.

The Peer Review Process

The image from Wiley gives an overview of the peer review process. When the author submits their manuscript, the editor determines whether it is a good fit for the journal. This will include examining the content, relevancy, methodology, and timeliness of the manuscript. If the manuscript is rejected, the editor will explain why. If the editor returns the manuscript and asks for initial revisions, he is interested in sending the manuscript to reviewers. Once the revised manuscript is returned to the editor, he identifies relevant reviewers. The reviewers will usually have four weeks to review the manuscript. The comments can vary in depth and length, depending on the reviewer. In the end, the reviewer decides to accept ‘as is,’ accept with revisions, or reject outright. The editor will make the final call. Most manuscripts are ‘accept with revisions.’ This means the editor asks the author to make certain changes suggested by the reviewer. The purpose of this process is to strengthen the intellectual content of the manuscript.

 

Types of Peer Review

I mentioned double-blind peer review as the traditional standard of peer review but there are many others. Different peer-review models are given below and some publishers practice multiple models.

  • Open Review. Open review makes parts of the peer review process public, either before or after publication. Examples: ScienceOpen and PLOS.
  • Journal-independent peer review. This model allows authors to have their manuscripts reviewed before they submit to a specific journal. Example: PeerRef.
  • Co-review. Collaborate on reviewing a manuscript with another reviewer. IOP Publishing is currently using this process for their entire journal portfolio.
  • AI-assisted review. AI is being slowly rolled in a number of ways (although doubts still remain). (Kousha and Thelwall 2023).
  • Post-publication peer review. Once an article is published and available in an open repository, other scholars can come and review it. (Enago Academy).
  • Preprint publication. Manuscripts are shared with other scholars before initiating the peer review process. (ArXiv and eLife).

 

Common Misconceptions regarding Peer Review

In working with authors, I find that many have misconceptions about what constitutes a peer review. Here are some of the common ones.

Misconception: Peer Review is a One-Size-Fits-All Process

As seen above, peer review approaches vary widely, and there’s no one-size-fits-all method. One manuscript may need a different process of evaluation than another. Furthermore, different journals and disciplines can have varying models of peer review to suit their objectives and the nature of the research. For example, you may encounter single-blind review, where the reviewers remain anonymous, or double-blind review, where both reviewers and authors are anonymous to each other. Each review process protects the author and reviewers from potential bias. Howver, in some cases, double-blind review enhances anonymity, but may not be feasible, especially in cases where the author’s identity is obvious. On the flip side, some journals practice open review, where the identities of both reviewers and authors are disclosed, fostering transparency. This approach encourages constructive criticism while holding reviewers and authors accountable.

Misconception: Peer Reviewers are Infallible Experts

Peer reviewers are indeed experts in their fields, but they are not infallible. We all make errors in judgment, oversight, or interpretation, just like any other professionals. Furthermore, biases can inadvertently influence reviewers. Unconscious biases related to gender, ethnicity, or institutional affiliations can impact evaluations. To address this, many journals now focus on diversity in their reviewer pool. For my journal, the publisher has encouraged me to solicit reviewers from countries such as China and India. Editors play a crucial role in ensuring the reliability of peer review. They can act as intermediaries between authors and reviewers, assessing reviews for fairness and rigor. In some cases, they may seek additional opinions or clarification when conflicting reviews arise.

Misconception: Peer Review is a Fast Process

Peer review can be a time-consuming process. From the submission of a manuscript to its final publication, several months may pass, or even longer. This extended timeline can be frustrating for authors eager to share their findings. Factors including journal policies, reviewer availability, rounds of review, editorial process, and scope and complexity of the manuscript can impact the duration of the process. Preprint servers can help authors disseminate their work before the official peer review process and post-publication review can help in discussing research findings.

Misconception: Reviewers Primarily Look for Groundbreaking Findings

At my journal, we look for groundbreaking findings but we also accept manuscripts that contribute to an existent body of knowledge. The peer review process evaluates research based on several criteria, including validity, clarity, and methodology, not just the novelty of findings. Reviewers assess whether the research is conducted rigorously and whether the evidence supports the conclusions. Reviewers will assess the appropriateness of research methods, statistical analyses, and data collection techniques as well.

Misconception: Published Papers are the Gold Standard

While publication in a peer-reviewed journal is a significant achievement, it is not the only standard of research quality. Not all high-quality research gets published. The peer review process is selective, and even well-conducted studies may face rejection for various reasons, including limited journal space, a perception of limited novelty, or specific journal scope. Conversely, not all published work is of high quality. Mistakes, errors, or even ethical lapses can sometimes find their way into published papers. The peer review process helps to identify and mitigate these issues but is not infallible. Last, research impact, citations, and real-world applications also play a role in assessing the quality and influence of a paper. Some groundbreaking research may not gain immediate attention but becomes influential over time.

Enjoy the rest of Peer Review Week!

 

Further reading

Kousha, K. and Thelwall M. 2023. Artificial intelligence to support publishing and peer review: A summary and review. Learned Publishing. 2023.

Leung T.I., de Azevedo Cardoso T., Mavragani A., Eysenbach G. 2023. Best Practices for Using AI Tools as an Author, Peer Reviewer, or Editor. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2023.

Willis, Michael. 2022. How Can Technology Aid Research Integrity? Wiley blog. November 22.

Wulf, Karin et al. 2023. Ask the Chefs: What is the Single Most Pressing Issue for the Future of Peer Review? Scholarly Kitchen, September 22, 2023.

Peer Review and the Future of Publishing

Welcome to Peer Review Week (September 25-29, 2023)! This week celebrates the scholarly peer review process, explores its significance in maintaining the quality of research publications, and addresses questions and challenges faced by researchers, academics, and librarians. The week is coordinated and sponsored by a number of publishers and affiliates.

What is Peer Review?

Peer review is the process of having your research paper independently assessed by experts in your field. The purpose of peer review is to evaluate the paper’s quality, academic rigor, and suitability for publication. In a subsequent post on our Digital Scholarship blog, we will take a deeper dive into understanding the peer review process, the different types of peer review, and the common misconceptions held by new scholars.

Peer Review and the Future of Publishing: AI and Machine Learning

Since the theme this year is peer review and the future of publishing, looking at artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to see what effect they have on publishing seems like a natural move. Of course, AI has been used in the publishing industry for the last several years. Streamlining the peer review process by cutting down on the length of time has been a priority for most publishers.

However, as AI and machine learning advances at an unprecedented rate, they can be powerful tools that have the potential to reshape the traditional peer review process. Here are four ways that AI and machine learning are changing the landscape of peer review.

  • Automating Peer Review Tasks
    One of the most significant contributions of AI and machine learning to peer review is the automation of various tasks. From identifying suitable reviewers for manuscripts to detecting potential plagiarism, AI-driven systems can significantly reduce the administrative burden on editors and reviewers. This not only expedites the peer review process but also ensures a more efficient allocation of resources, allowing researchers to focus more on the actual evaluation of scholarly content. In 2022, Zhao and Zhang examined the success of the automation of the reviewer assignment algorithms in addressing assigning peer reviewers.
  • Enhancing Reviewer Recommendations
    AI can assist editors in making more informed decisions when selecting reviewers for a manuscript. By analyzing the research interests, expertise, and past reviewing history of potential reviewers, AI algorithms can provide tailored recommendations. For example, Web of Science has their Reviewer Locator, an algorithm that searches the Web of Science database for the most suitable reviewers. This not only ensures that the most qualified experts are chosen but also promotes diversity and inclusion in the peer review process by identifying reviewers from underrepresented groups.
  • Quality Control and Fraud Detection
    Maintaining the integrity of the peer review process is paramount. AI-powered systems can aid in identifying fraudulent activities, such as fabricated data, manipulated images, or unethical practices. These algorithms can detect anomalies in manuscripts, prompting further investigation and ensuring that only high-quality research is published. Publishers have been proactive in outlining best practices and policies for authors if they use AI to generate content.
  • Streamlining Manuscript Preparation
    Publishers are slowly rolling out AI-driven tools to assist reviewers and editors in their evaluation process. The content of a manuscript, checking for clarity, coherence, and language quality, can be evaluated using algorithms. This not only supports reviewers in their assessments but also helps authors improve the overall quality of their submissions before peer review even begins.

Limits of AI in Peer Review

Of course, there are limits in how (and if) one should use AI in the peer review process. Some publishers have prohibited the use of AI by peer reviewers as a violation of the confidentiality inherent in peer review (open review does not apply). Funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health have prohibited the use of AI in analyzing and drafting peer review critiques, citing the need for confidentiality. The NIH even requires that peer reviewers sign a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement. The heavily discussed issue of bias is also a factor that editors need to be aware of. Last, lack of context, expertise, feedback loops, and ‘peer‘ are possible drawbacks for peer review. Only time will tell.

Final thoughts

For an in-depth look at the challenges facing the future of peer review, check out the Scholarly Kitchen‘s recent post, “Ask the Chefs: What is the Single Most Pressing Issue for the Future of Peer Review?Scholarly Kitchen is the official blog of the Society for Scholarly Publishing, the sponsor of Peer Review Week.

Last, subscribe to the Catholic University Libraries Digital Scholarship blog for updates.

 

Further reading

Hosseini, M., and Horbach, S.P.J.M. 2023. Fighting reviewer fatigue or amplifying bias? Considerations and recommendations for use of ChatGPT and other large language models in scholarly peer review. Research Integrity Peer Review 8, 4 (2023).

Kousha, K. and Thelwall M. 2023. “Artificial intelligence to support publishing and peer review: A summary and review.” Learned Publishing. 2023.

Leung T.I., de Azevedo Cardoso T., Mavragani A., Eysenbach G. 2023. Best Practices for Using AI Tools as an Author, Peer Reviewer, or Editor. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2023.

Willis, Michael. 2022. How Can Technology Aid Research Integrity? Wiley blog. November 22.

Wulf, Karin et al. 2023. Ask the Chefs: What is the Single Most Pressing Issue for the Future of Peer Review? Scholarly Kitchen, September 22, 2023.

 

 

 

Digital Scholarship Fundamentals Workshops Fall Schedule

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

The University Libraries and the Department of Library and Information Science are offering a series of workshops this semester. The theme of the workshops is text data mining.

Text data mining is the process of extracting valuable insights and patterns from unstructured textual data using various computational and statistical techniques to analyze and interpret this textual information. This data can include a wide range of sources such as documents, articles, emails, social media posts, reviews, and more.

Register through the Events page at the Nest (CU members only) or by contacting Kevin Gunn (gunn@cua.edu). Unless otherwise indicated, the instructor for each session will be Kevin Gunn, Coordinator of Digital Scholarship. All workshops will take place on Zoom, recorded, and made available on the Catholic University Libraries’ YouTube Channel.


Starting a Text Data Mining Project (Mon. Sept. 18, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)

Planning your project is a critical skill in contemporary research. Many students and faculty embark on a project without understanding fully the resources needed and the time commitment involved. This workshop will walk you through the process of a text/data mining project by asking the right questions: what is my research question, how can I locate and acquire texts/data, what tools are relevant for cleaning and analyzing texts/data, and what legal issues may limit my access and use of texts/data?

Using AI to Expand Your Research Toolbox (Fri., Sept. 29, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)

Tools such as ChatGPT, Elicit, the new Bing, Google Bard and browser extensions can be effective in the research process. How and when to discover, evaluate, and cite resources can be challenging. Come deepen your information literacy skills by understanding the best practices for using these new technologies. Once you have a good understanding, they will complement the other discovery tools in your toolbox (Google Scholar, SearchBox, and your favorite library subscription database). This workshop is for anyone in the university community who is curious about the impact of new technologies on traditional research methods.

Gale Digital Scholar Lab (Fri., Oct. 13, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)

Learn how to use the lab for locating, analyzing, and visualizing texts. Using Gale’s Primary Sources archive, we will demonstrate the workflow process in building, cleaning, and analyzing content. We will explore some of the tools including document clustering, Named Entity Recognition, Ngrams, parts of speech, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling. No previous experience necessary.

Legal and Ethical Issues in Text Data Mining (Mon., Oct. 23, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)

I am not sure if I can text data mine a particular dataset. How can I determine what my rights are? We will explore best practices in copyright, fair use, licensing agreements and terms of use, privacy and ethical issues, digital rights management, and other issues involving non-consumptive use of text for research. Part of Open Access Week.

HathiTrust for Text Data Mining: Introduction (Mon., Nov. 6, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)

You may have used the HathiTrust Digital Library for acquiring books and articles. Now use the HathiTrust Research Center for computational analysis! We will provide an overview of the HTRC platform and features by working on such as finding textual data, creating a workset, and performing basic analyses. Instructors: Benjamin Cushing, Research and Instruction librarian, and Kevin Gunn, Coordinator of Digital Scholarship

HathiTrust for Text Data Mining: Analytics (Fri., Nov. 17, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)

Building on the introductory workshop, we will examine extracted features,  text analysis algorithms, and data capsules. No coding experience necessary.

Data Visualization Basics (Mon., Dec. 4, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)

Having performed text data analyses, you must now present your findings visually. Should you use a pie chart (rarely), a scatter plot, or a heat graph? Understand how to present your work in an accurate and ethical manner by joining us for an overview of best practices in data visualization. We will examine some visualization methods and how best to apply them to different kinds of data. Instructors: Charles Gallagher, Research and Instruction Librarian, and Kevin Gunn, Coordinator of Digital Scholarship

 

Lincoln’s God

Joshua Zeitz has written an excellent book on Abraham Lincoln and his faith. Lincoln’s God: How Faith Transformed a President and a Nation “chronicles Abraham Lincoln’s evolution from a spiritual skeptic to an evangelical Christian believer, which played an instrumental role on the battlefield of the Civil War and home front, and in the corridors of government.”

Once you are finished, check out the rest of our Popular Reading collection. Titles range from commentary, fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, non-fiction, current affairs, science, social issues, and politics.

Our collection is on the first floor of Mullen Library in the Reference Reading Room.

Hold your cursor over the Title to see a short description of the book, or click to view the catalog record. The status of the book is shown beside the call number.

Title Author Status
Lincoln’s God: How Faith Transformed a President and a Nation Zeitz, Joshua
All the Demons Are Here Tapper, Jake
100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife Jennings, Ken
All the Sinners Bleed Cosby, S. A.
The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West Grant, Will
Thief Liar Lady Soria, D. L.
President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier Goodyear, C. W.
At the End of Every Day Reiche, Arianna
Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild Orsted, Brad
The Questions That Matter Most: Reading, Writing, and the Exercise of Freedom Smiley, Jane
Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Forever Changed British History Borman, Tracy
A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality Khavari, Kate
Silver Nitrate Moreno-Garcia, Silvia
Chaos Kings: How Wall Street Traders Make Billions in the New Age of Crisis Patterson, Scott
The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial Lipsky, David
Defiant Dreams: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education Mahfouz, Sola & Kapoor, Malaina
Every Rising Sun Ahmed, Jamila
The Supermajority: The Year the Supreme Court Divided America Waldman, Michael
The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us About How and When This Crisis Will End Howe, Neil

For more great information from CUA Libraries, follow us on Facebook and Twitter: Mullen Library Facebook; @CUAlibraries

Making Better Decisions

robert rubinMaking better decisions is a concern we all have. In The Yellow Pad: Making Better Decisions in an Uncertain World, Robert Rubin, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and co-chairman of Goldman Sachs, offers this guide for anyone looking to make better decisions in life, work and public policy against the backdrop of a fundamentally uncertain world.

Once you are finished, check out the rest of our Popular Reading collection. Titles range from commentary, fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, non-fiction, current affairs, science, social issues, and politics.

Our collection is on the first floor of Mullen Library in the Reference Reading Room.

Hold your cursor over the Title to see a short description of the book, or click to view the catalog record. The status of the book is shown beside the call number.

Title Author Status
The Yellow Pad: Making Better Decisions in an Uncertain World Rubin, Robert E.
Cleopatra’s Daughter: From Roman Prisoner to African Queen Draycott, Jane
Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything Kaku, Michio
Pomegranate Lee, Helen Elaine
Lebron Benedict, Jeff
Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future Twenge, Jean M.
Searching for Savanna: The Murder of One Native American Woman and the Violence Against the Many Gable, Mona
The Only Survivors Miranda, Megan
The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa Losos, Jonathan B.
Clytemnestra Casati, Costanza
Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and into the World Rubin, Gretchen
Symphony of Secrets Slocumb, Brendan
Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary Hacks Shapiro, Scott J.
The Watchdog: How the Truman Committee Battled Corruption and Helped Win World War Two Drummond, Steve
You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America Kix, Paul
The Bird Hotel Maynard, Joyce
The Late Americans Taylor, Brandon
Witch King Wells, Martha
Titanium Noir Harkaway, Nick

For more great information from CUA Libraries, follow us on Facebook and Twitter: Mullen Library Facebook; @CUAlibraries