Saturday, April 23, 2016

April 23rd - "Shakespeare" Day!

Today, April 23rd 2016, is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the (alleged?) playwright who gave us so many classic works of literature that our high school English teachers have no end of material for us.


As I have discussed before, the DDC number for Shakespeare is 822.33. However, do not let that fool you into thinking that all of Shakespeare's plays are the same. He wrote on an astonishing range of different topics and themes. Here are a few examples of the subjects he expounded upon:

CHASTITY
It is not politic in the commonwealth of nature to
preserve virginity. Loss of virginity is rational
increase and there was never virgin got till
virginity was first lost. That you were made of is
metal to make virgins. Virginity by being once lost
may be ten times found; by being ever kept, it is
ever lost: 'tis too cold a companion; away with 't!
- from All's Well That Ends Well


REGRET
Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things
As willingly as one would kill a fly,
And nothing grieves me heartily indeed
But that I cannot do ten thousand more.
- from Titus Andronicus


CHIVALRY
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
- from Henry V


WORDS
O, they have lived long on the alms-basket of words. I marvel thy master hath not eaten thee for a word; for thou art not so long by the head as honorificabilitudinitatibus: thou art easier swallowed than a flap-dragon.
- from Love's Labor's Lost






HISTRIONIC APPRECIATION
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.
- from A Midsummer Night's Dream


Happy readings!

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Academic Search Resource on EBSCOhost

The Easton Area Public Library now has access to Academic Search Main Edition, a version of EBSCOhost that is especially useful for college-level research. This e-resource is rich with the most valuable, comprehensive multidisciplinary content available. It provides access to acclaimed full-text journals, magazines, and other valuable resources covering topics like Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Psychology, Religion & Philosophy, Science & Technology, and more! The contents includes:
  • 13,600 indexed and abstracted journals
  • Full text for more than 4,700 journals
  • Nearly 12,000 peer-reviewed, indexed and abstracted journals
  • 4,000 peer-reviewed, full-text journals
To access this resource:
1. First go to our home page and click on "Power Library."

2. Next, click on "List All," so that you can see all the resources.


3. Then click on "Academic Search Main Edition."

4. Finally you will be on the "Academic Search Main Edition" page for EBSCOhost.