Glad You Asked
July 24, 2010
Are public libraries still relevant? In an age where it seems that everyone “googles” everything, why do we need public libraries? Public libraries in general and the Delaware County District Library in particular continue to see a rise in use, number of materials checked out (and books are still the Library’s bread-and-butter), and questions asked. Discussing the relevance of public libraries is complex and multi-layered, and certainly needs more time and space than this column allows. However, let me give you one real life example of how vital Delaware Library is to our community.
We recently had a customer who needed to purchase a new dishwasher. He had Internet at home, so he “googled” Consumer Reports to find information, ratings and reviews. He was dismayed to learn that when he clicked on the “Ratings and Reliability” and “Recommended” tabs on CI’s web site—the data he needed to make a wise purchase—he had to pay for the information.
So, he came to the Delaware County District Library to read the reviews in Consumer Reports on dishwashers. When the librarian provided him with the magazine, he also referred the gentleman to “Consumer Reports Online,” a subscription database that provides all of the information available in the magazine and much more. Needless to say, the customer was delighted to find out that he did not have to pay for the online ratings, and that he could even print or email them from the database.
This transaction perfectly illustrates the relevance of public libraries—providing quality information at no cost to our customers, buttressed by the expertise and skills of experienced librarians to help find the information. “Consumer Reports Online” is a robust and valuable resource that you can access through the Library’s web site from any Internet computer and a great example of how the Library uses its funds wisely to help you use your funds wisely, too.
What kind of beer of dopplebock?
Dopplebock is a stronger type of bock beer, malty German lagers that date back to the 14th century. German monks would fast throughout Lent, but beer was permitted during the fasts. To keep their strength up throughout their forty days of fasting, the monks brewed a particularly strong lager (bock) that would provide them with more nutrients than their typical beers. Soon, though, they were looking for an even more filling beer for their fasting periods, so a group of Paulaner monks in Munich created the doppelbock as a more filling form of “liquid bread.” According to the The Food Lover’s Companion, the monks were concerned that their potent new creation might be so strong that it distracted from spiritual matters. They allegedly shipped a cask of the brew to the Pope for his approval. By the time the pope tasted it several months later, the doppelbock had gone sour, so the Pope gave it his approval on the grounds that it was so foul that no monk would enjoy drinking it enough to get tipsy.
What is exactly is flat iron steak?
This trendy, tasty cut is a fairly recent development. In the early 2000s, meat science professors at the Universities of Florida and Nebraska searched to find an exquisite new cut of beef they could bring to market. After much research, they found an underappreciated muscle in the shoulder that would provide a delicious, well-marbled piece of beef if cut correctly. The new cut was dubbed the “flat iron steak,” supposedly because it is shaped somewhat like an old-fashioned flat iron. I found this explanation in a book entitled simply, Beef.
Is Cuba Gooding Sr. in show business?
Yes. He sang in the Motown group “The Main Ingredient,” singing lead vocals on the band’s hit songs “Everybody Plays the Fool” and “Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely.” Born in 1944, Cuba Sr. resides in New York City, as noted in Current Biography.
If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Mary Jane Santos, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015 or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library?s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to mjsantos@delawarelibrary.org. No matter how you contact us, we?re always glad you asked!
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