Veritas University, Abuja (The Catholic University of Nigeria)

Welcome to your library Bulletin
 
Welcome to 2010 and best wishes for the new year.
We welcome new and existing readers to this issue of VUNALIBBUL. The aim of this Bulletin has been to keep the Veritas University Community informed on snippets of knowledge and information sourced from the University Library.
 
Editorial
 
OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE
Modern Librarians have to,not only work with technological devices,but have to make every effort to become familiar,if not proficient in the use of this tools in order to be in a position to offer end-users education and training. Among the latest innovations that is affecting the information world and transforming libraries in particular is the movement towards adoption of open source software for library operations.
 
Open Source is an approach to the design,development,and distribution of software, offering practical accessibility to the software's source code. In other word,open source software licence gives users the freedom to run the programme for any purpose,to study and modify the programme,and to redistribute copies of either the original or modified programme(without having to pay royalties to previous developers).Although,the term open source was coined just a few years ago,the concept behind this particular way of developing software have existed since the early days of computers.
 
Indeed, in the 1960s,when IBM and others sold their first large-scale commercial computers,it came with free software. Free meant that the source code was free and available,and therefore the software could be improved and modified. In other word,hardware was the product being sold,not software. But by the mid 1970s software became a commercial proprietary product that could not be redistributed or modified.
 
As a result of this change,software could no longer be freely shared by programmers as it had been in previous times. This drastic change motivated some dedicated enthusiasts to promote the open source model,which allows for concurrent input of differing agendas and ideas in the development of software.
 
Essentially anyone can join in the collaboration effort with the goal of making the open source software stronger and more feature-rich. Some of the most successful open software developments includes:Linux operating system,Apache HTTP Servers,The Internet Address System/Internet Protocol and Mozilla Firefox Internet Browser. The open source community repeatedly points to this efforts as the poster children of how successful open source software can be. They also claim that their software has a much lower cost of ownership and provides users such as libraries with interfaces that are more responsive to the changing demands of the public.
 
But critics of the open source movement also point out the virtual absence of support infrastructure for clients to hold responsible if ones software fail to perform according to specification as a major drawback of this type of software.
 
HOMILY OF THE WEEK
 
WHICH WAY TO JESUS?
 
ISAIAH 60:1-6 EPHESIANS 3:2-3,5-6 MATHEW 2:1-12
 
In the stories of Jesus' birth,two special groups of people came to visit the new-born babe:the shepherds and the magi. The church has no special feast to commemorate the visit of the shepherds but the special feast of epiphany celebrates the visit of the magi. Why is that?.It is because the visit of the magi is an eye-opener. The shepherds learnt of the birth of Jesus through a direct revelation from angels appearing in the midnight sky. This is a direct and supernatural revelation. But the magi on the other hand,learnt of the birth of Jesus by observing a star. They had to interpret this natural sign of the star to know what it meant and where it led. If we remember that the magi or the three wise men were nature worshippers,people who divined God's will by reading the movements of the stars and other heavenly bodies,then we can see how the visit of the magi challenges some of our popular beliefs.
 
Indeed, religious people of all persuasions tend to think that their religious tradition is the only way to God. This is what some of us hear when we hear such words from Jesus as: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”(John 14:6).We hastily conclude that the way of God equals the way of our religious tradition. Yet the word of God cautions us against such narrow interpretation. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,says the Lord”(Isaiah 55:8).That is why we are fascinated with the story of the magi. It is a unique story that opens our eyes to the fact that God is not limited to any one religious tradition.
 
Notice how people of different religious tradition came to know that the Son of God was born. The shepherd who were regarded as unclean and could not take part in Temple worship without undergoing purification came to know through a direct vision of angels,the Magi knew through a reading of the stars and Herod's scribes came to know through searching the scriptures. Visions,stars,scriptures- different ways of arriving at the same truth. Notice how Matthew indicates that when the the guiding star got to Jerusalem,its light failed and the Magi had to consult the scriptures to direct them to Bethlehem. Over and above the natural light of the star the Magi still needed the supernatural scripture to finally get to Jesus.
 
Yet the crucial question must be asked: who actually got to find Jesus?.Herod and his scribes who had the scriptures failed to find Jesus,but the wise men who followed the natural stars were able to find him. Why? Because the Jewish authorities,even though they possessed the shining truth of the gospel did not follow it. It is not the possession of the truth that matters,it is how prepared we are to walk in the light of that we possessed.
Culled from http://www.munachi.com
 
SAINT OF THE WEEK
 
Saint Arcadius-Martyr January 12
 
The time of this Saint's martyrdom is not mentioned in the his acts:some place it under Valerian,others under Dioclesian: he seem to have suffered in some city of Mauritania,probably the capital Caesaria. The fury of tyrants raged violently,and the devil had instigated his soldiers to wage like so many wolves, a bloody war a bloody against the servants of Jesus. Upon the least suspicion they break into houses,made rigorous searches and if they found a Christian,they treated him upon the spot with the greatest cruelty,their impatience not suffering them to wait and bring them before a judge.
 
Every day new sacrileges were committed;the faithful were compelled to assist at superstitious sacrifices,to lead victims crowned with flowers through the streets,to burn incense before idols and to celebrate the enthusiastic feasts of Bacchus.
 
Arcadius seeing his city in great confusion left his estate and withdrew to a solitary place in the neighbouring serving Christ in watching, prayer, and other exercises of a penitential life. His flight could not be long a secret;for his not appearing at the public sacrifices made the governor send soldiers to his house, who surrounded it, forced open the doors and finding one of his relations in it ,who said all he could to justify his kinsman absence. They seized him, and the Governor ordered him to be kept in close custody till Arcadius should be found. The martyr informed of his relations danger,and burning with a desire to suffer for Christ,went into the city and presenting himself to the judge said: “If on my account you detain my innocent relation in chains,release him;I Arcadius, am come in person to give an account of myself, and to declare to you,that he knew not where I was”. “I am willing”answered the Judge “to pardon not only him but you also,on condition that you sacrifice to the gods”.
 
Arcadius replied “How can you propose to me such a thing ? “Do you not know the Christian,or do you believe that the fear of death will ever make me swerve from my duty? Jesus is my life,death is my gain. Invent what torments you please;but know that nothing will make me a traitor to my God”.
 
Culled from Catholic online@http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint-id=549.
 
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the blood stream . It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same
-Ronald Reagan
 
DID YOU KNOW?
That the first paper was made about 2,000 years ago in China, by a man called Ts'ai Lun. He took the stringy inner bark of the Mulberry tree and pounded it in water until it became a mass of flattened threads. He then placed his pulped solution onto a flat tray of fine bamboo strips.
The water was allowed to drain through the bamboo, and the threads in the bamboo were left to dry. The dried result was a flat, fibrous material considered to be the very first paper. As with all new discoveries, improvements are gradually made.
 
The secret of paper making soon became world -wide knowledge as Chinese traders travelled to Russia and the Middle East. From there,the art of paper making spread to Europe.
 
The first continuous paper making machine was developed in France in 1798 by Louis Robert.
 
BREAKING NEWS @ VUNA
Veritas University Matriculates 119 freshmen students of the 2009/2010 session on January 29,2010.
 
 
BREAKTHROUGHS
 
The year 2009 marked another year for important scientific discoveries and advancement. Here's some of last years fascinating inventions.
MODUMENTAL
In addition to being more durable,energy absorbent and lighter than steel, modumental is stronger and may also be less expensive to produce than Steel. Developed by a Seattle based company of the same name, Modumental is grown from nano-laminate structures.
SILICON INK
The recent development of Silicon Ink,which can be used to print integrated circuits,sensors or displays marks a major break though in fabrication technology. Electronic manufacturing firm, Kavio solved the silicon ink challenge by relying on nanoparticles powder solvent.
 
POWER PLUG SIZE COMPUTERS
Computers have been getting smaller for decades,but last year,tiny cutting-edge computers entered the general computer market. The four - inch computer for platform developers features as much computing strength as some full size models,while consuming only a tenth of the power.
 
 
 
 
BOOK OF THE WEEK
 
Lemmens, R. (2008). Timbers of Tropical Africa - Conclusions and Recommendations based on PROTA 7(1). Nairobi, Prota. 84p
 
FINAL WORD
People should think less about what they ought to do and more about what they ought to be. If only their being good,their works would shine forth brightly. Do not imagine that you can ground your salvation upon actions;it must rest on what you are. Meister Eckhart.
 
 
 

VUNALIBBUL Vol. I, No.4

Welcome to your library Bulletin

We welcome new and existing readers to this issue of VUNALIBBUL. The aim of this Bulletin has been to keep the Veritas University Community more widely interested in the knowledge and information resources managed by the University Library.

Editorial

AN IMPORTANT MOMENT

This is an important moment in the relationship between researchers and academic libraries the world over. The world of information and librarianship is changing and a foundation for a new relationship between University Libraries and researchers is being forged.

Indeed, the rise of e-research, interdisciplinary work, cross-institution collaborated and the massive increase in the quantity of research output in digital form all pose new challenges. This challenges is not just about how libraries should serve the needs of researchers as users of information sources of many different kinds, but it also about how to facilitate seamless access, search and discovery of a wide range of information sources that researchers need to pursue their research; that students need to widen their knowledge base for life long learning.

In doing this, Academic Librarians are being turned into what is being described as “Cyberians” working with tools that utilizes artificial intelligence to disseminate knowledge records (multitasking) to assist researchers in creating individualized information portfolio.

However, the creation of an individualized information file is only possible when there is effective collaboration between researchers and the University library; research needs must be known to the library before the library can strive to secure needed sources within available resources. This was the rationale for the recent Book Selection meeting convened by the Veritas University Librarian with Academic staff, where a decision to collaborate and build a library collection that will stand the test of time, was taken.

Ask, and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you

HOMILY OF THE WEEK

ROOT YOURSELF IN CHRIST

Act 9:26 – 31, 1John 3:18-24, John 15:1-8

Many of us are familiar with the sad American Indian story about a young man who found an eagle's egg and put it into nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the chickens and grew up with them. All its life, the misplaced eagle though it was a prairie chicken and did only what the prairie chickens did. In its old age, the unfortunate eagle saw a magnificent bird high above in the cloudless sky, soaring gracefully in its strong golden wings. “What a beautiful bird!” said the unfortunate eagle to its neighbour. “That an eagle, the chief of birds,” the neighbour replied, “But don't give it a second thought. You could never be like him.” so the poor eagle never gave a second thought and died thinking it was a prairie chicken.
This frightening story underlies the importance of what we identify ourselves with. Human beings are like vine branches; we need a vine in which to graft and root ourselves. The vine into which we are grafted and rooted conditions the way we see ourselves, the expectations we have of ourselves and the ceiling of achievement that we place ourselves. Vines comes in many shapes and colours each soliciting our primary allegiance, but the gospel invites us today to graft and root ourselves as vine branches into the true vine, Jesus Christ.

Then and only then shall we see ourselves in terms of our oneness with Christ just as the vine branch and the vine are one and be able to bear good fruit, the same type of fruit that Jesus himself bears. Culled from http://www.munachi.com

SAINT OF THE WEEK   

Saint Joan of Arc

Joan was born in France in 1412. she helped her brothers on the farm and often went to a nearby chapel to pray. When she was seventeen, Joan heard the voice of God calling her to drive the enemies of France from the land. Going to the king whose army was defeated, she asked for a small army. The king BELIVIEVING that God had sent her to save France, gave her a band of brave soldiers. Joan went before the soldiers carrying her banner with the words. “Jesus, Mary.” The soldiers became filled with courage and drove the British army away.

Joan fell into the hands of the British and remained in prison for nine months. She was asked why she had gone for confession every day. She said: “My soul can never be made clean. I FIRMLY BELIEVE I SHALL SURELY BE SAVE.”

She was taken to the marketplace of Rouen and burned to death. With her eyes on the crucifix, she cried out, “Jesus, Jesus, “through the flames.
Culled from Book of Saints by Father Lovasik

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn”. Albert Einstein.

History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm”. Sir Winston Churchill.

“We are what we repeatedly do”. Aristotle. Culled from http://www. Quotationpage.  com/32087.html

DID YOU KNOW

That shooting victim Connie Culp spend 22 hours in Surgery to become the first face transplant recipient.

George W. Bush Presidential Library raised $100 million in 100 days

400 million Africans live on less than $1 a day. Culled from www.time.com

BREAKING NEWS @ VUNA

The Niger Delta Development Commission on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 donated a Tractor to Veritas University. The donation is in response to the request of the Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. (Prof.) Justin Ukpong.

BREAKTHROUGHS

Joel Nwakaire, a student of the Department of Agriculture and Bio-resource Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka has produced what may be Nigeria's first bio-diesel   with non-consumable vegetables Jatrophan and Algae.

Eastman Kodak company has achieved another break through in its storied history of imaging technology with the introduction of the world's first 50 million pixel CCD Image sensor for professional photography. At 50 million pixels, or mega pixels, the sensor captures images with unprecedented resolution and detail.

BOOKS OF THE WEEK

Harris, D. (2004). Cases and Materials on International Law. - London; Thomson. lxi, 1152p; index

Cotton, F et al (2008). Advanced Inorganic Chemistry. - 6th ed. - Delhi; Wiley. 1355p, index.

Carrol, D (2004). Psychology of Language. - Belmont; Thomson, xvi, 460p, ill, index.

FINAL WORD

When a man takes one step towards God, God takes more steps toward that man than there are sands in the worlds of time.

 
 
VUNALIBBUL, Vol_1, N0. 2
 
Welcome to your library Bulletin
 
We welcome new and existing readers to this issue of VUNALIBBUL. The aim of this Bulletin has been to keep the Veritas University Community more widely interested in the knowledge and information managed by the University Library.
 
Editorial
 
EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL.
The Internet has become the medium of choice for a great deal of cultural production. It is in recognition of this reality that a Canadian techno-visionary, Brewster Kahle has set for himself a target of building the World's largest digital Library. He has recruited 135 libraries worldwide to openlibrary.org,the aim of which is to create a catalogue of every book ever published,with links to its full text where available.
To this end, the Internet Archive being created by Him is digitising books on a large scale on behalf of its library partners. It scans more than 1,000 books every day,for which the libraries pay about $30 each. The digital copy can then be made available by both parties, even as a “print on demand” system is in place to turn digital files into physical books in minutes. This shows that Veritas University with itscommitment to electronic learning resources is in the forefront of a global trend.  
 
HOMILY OF THE WEEK
 
SELLING GOD AT A DISCOUNT                 
 
EXODUS 20:1-7         1CORINTHIANS 1:18, 22-25            JOHN 2:13-25
 
A young Nigerian Priest wrote a small book entitled “Selling God at a Discount”. The Book is a sharp criticism of the so-called prosperity Gospel which dominates much of the preaching in the new religious movements in Christianity.
According to these modern -day preachers, immediate personal prosperity, good health and wealth are signs of truth faith. But for Paul, the Apostle the Christian message, far from being a prosperity Gospel is a message of the cross. “ For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God ” (1Corinthians 1:18). Paul recognizes that this message, which for true believers is the power of God, is perceived as nothing but foolishness by non-believers. The theology of the Cross, unlike prosperity theology recognizes that hardship and contradiction can, and often do, go along with true belief in the crucified and risen Lord. Ultimately, the reward for true faith is out of this world. Believing that the reward in righteousness is always found in this life is nothing but materialism in religious garb.
 
However, Apostle Paul recognizes that true Christian teaching, the theology of the Cross, does not make sense by human standards. The Cross represents the weakness and foolishness of God. But Paul says “God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Paul find examples of human thinking in the response of the Jews and Greeks of his time to the preaching of the Christian message. “ For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God ” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).Jews demanded signs. According to their belief, the Messiah, the son of God would have to prove it by signs and wonders. But Jesus said an emphatic no to a life of signs and wonders when the devil as tempted him to jump down from the pinnacle of the Temple, while the Greek demanded wisdom. They had developed a philosophy of God and expected God to act in accordance with their philosophy. Culled from http://www.munachi.com
 
SAINT OF THE WEEK
 
Saint Patrick (390-460) was a Roman British -born Christian missionary and the Patron Saint of Ireland. He was educated at a monastery and School of Divinity founded by Saint Illtud, often called “the oldest University in the world”. When he was about sixteen, He was captured by Irish raiders and taken from his native Wales as a slave to Ireland, where He lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family.
 
After entering the Church, He later returned to Ireland as a missionary in the North and West of the Island, but little is known about the places where he worked and no link can be established between Saint Patrick and any Church. But by eight century, He had become the Patron Saint of Ireland. On March, 17th   every year Saint Patrick Day is celebrated to remember Him and what He did. This is celebrated across the World. Culled from http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/saint-patrick. 
 
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 
“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all, but whatever I have placed in God's hands,  that I still possess”. Martin Luther.
 
“There is need for a dedicated leadership and citizenry imbued with faith to cultivate a widespread national feeling for one Nigeria”
President Shehu Shagari.
DIDYOU KNOW?
 
That on March 17th ,1521-- Ferdinard Magella discovers the Philistines. 
On March 17th 1917-- TsarNicolas 11 of Russia abdicates the throne.

March 17th, 1991-USSR holds Referendum to determine if they should stay together.
March 20, 1920-  First flight from London to South Africa lands.
The Black history month is a remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African Diaspora. It is celebrated annually in most Countries worldwide in the month of February, while in the United Kingdom it is held in the month of October. The remembrance was originated in1926 by historian, Carter Woodson as “Negro History Week”. Woodson chose the second week of February because it marked the birthdays of two Americans, who greatly influenced the lives and social conditions of African Americans: former President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglas.
Culled from http://www.scopesys.com/today and Daily Sun,Tuesday March 17,2009.page 15 
 
BREAKING NEWS @VUNA
First Semester Examinations begins on Saturday, 21st March.
 
BREAKTHROUGHS

As the amount of on-board electronics increases, Cars are gradually getting closer to being able to park themselves automatically. The Economist Technology  Quaterly, March 7,2009,page 13.    
 
It now seems to be a matter of when, rather than if wireless charging of Mobile Phones becomes reality. The Economist Technology Quarterly, March 7,2009, pages 14-15.
 
BOOKS OF THE WEEK

Dominick, Joseph (2009). Dynamics of Mass Communication. -Boston; McGraw Hill. xxv,457p,;index  
 
Mader, Sylvia (2006).Inquiry into Life.-11th ed. -Boston; McGraw Hill.xvi,758p, index.      
 
Armstrong, M(2006).Human Resource Management Practice. -London; Kogan Page,xxii,982p,ill,index.
FINAL WORD
NIPOST'S huge find; 55b Naira concealed in mails- Mori Baba, PMG.
Daily Sun, Monday, March 16.2009.Page 32.
 
Sisters of Charity marks 150 years of caring for the Poor.
Daily Sun, Monday March 16,2009.Page 6.
 
10 Ideas Changing the World right now
Time, March 23,2009.page 29.