The University of Denver has been able to acquire the digital Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS) Reports. JPRS was established in 1957 as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Technical Services, just a few months before the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1. JPRS provided translation of scientific, technical, and selected social science materials, while the related agency, Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) provided more political, in-country news, and foreign government operations. Both JPRS and FBIS are examples of open source intelligence.

When the JPRS digitization project is complete in 2015, it will contain over 130,000 reports. The Readex digital project unearths the rich scientific and cultural gems from the USSR and Eastern bloc countries, China, Vietnam, and other areas of concern from the late 1950s through the early 1990s. Not only will scientific information be found in these documents (“Problems of Space Biology”), but also matters of cultural and sociological significance (“Summary of the Polish Provincial Press” and “Soviet Transportation” are among the series-within-series publications). JRPS should be considered a hidden source for selected statistics and yet another place for genealogists to check. Our internationalists will greatly benefit from this historic archive.

Transparent Language Online (TLO) has added a new feature to the Latin American Spanish language learning program:  videos of real-life situations.  The new section is called “Spanish Conversations,” and is located on the menu to the left, after you select the language:

The five units include short videos in which you learn vocabulary and grammar through situational interactions.

1)  ¿Qué precio tienen? (or “What is the price?”), in which you learn vocabulary related to shopping in a hardware store and encounter idiomatic expressions used in Latin America.

2)  ¿Sabe dónde puedo encontrar…? (or “Do you know where I can find…”), in which you practice asking for directions.

3)  Quisiera hacer una reserva (or “I would like to make a reservation”), in which you learn how to book a flight to Cartagena.

4) ¿A cómo está el cambio? (or “How much is the exchange rate?”), in which you familiarize yourself with vocabulary related to banking.

5)  Buen provecho (or “Enjoy your meal”) in which you learn about a typical meal out in a Colombian restaurant.

In addition to the videos, each unit also has listening, speaking, reading, writing, and pronunciation activities.

Congratulations, Mason!

One lucky undergraduate student is heading home for the summer with a new Kindle Fire HD, courtesy of the Main Library in the Anderson Academic Commons!  As part of our quarter-long grand opening celebration, the Library held a raffle for the Kindle Fire early Monday morning.  Students entered the raffle Sunday and into the wee hours on Monday.  Sunday night is one of the busiest for students studying in the library, especially during finals.

Did you know that Kindles and other ereaders can be used to read books and articles from the library?  Check out our Research Guide on ebooks to learn more, or stop by the Research Center for help finding electronic books that interest you.

Come check out the new book display on Film Appreciation in the newly opened Anderson Academic Commons! Enjoy some award-winning films, books about film culture in the United States and around the world, and even learn how to land a job in the industry. For more information about the materials on display visit http://libguides.du.edu/bookdisplay .