Apr 24 2009
Le interlibrary loan and textbook selection
I mentioned in one my latest posts that I’m going to be teaching an introductory weather and climate course this summer. I’ve exhausted the sources available, (why doesn’t the library seem to carry these introductory texts?) and the quality seems to range from “not what I’m looking for” to “might be able to use it” for the material that ”’I”’ think should be covered. Luckily, there’s this novel invention called interlibrary loan. It’s like magic. I click a link on a website, a form gets filled out automatically (which I’m supposed to check to make sure it’s right, but didn’t) and supposedly the book will appear in the library in a few days/weeks/months/sometime. If it works, it’ll be the best thing since Wikipedia. (I’m trying to change the phrase from ’sliced bread’. Although I’m not sure it works in this case, since IL probably existed before WP.)
I found 4 more potential textbooks to use, and 1 that just looked interesting. Can you tell which is which?
- The earth system by Kump, Kasting, and Crane
- Climatology by Rohli and Vega
- Earth’s climate : past and future by Ruddiman
- Climate change : picturing the science by Schmidt and Wolfe
- Understanding Earth by Grotzinger, Jordan, Press, and Siever
I’ve looked at these as possible texts, but they don’t have enough about climate.
- Essentials of Meteorology by Ahrens
- Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment by Ahrens
- Meteorology: The Atmosphere and Science of Weather by Moran, Morgan, and Pauley
This might be better, but I haven’t looked at it in depth yet.
- Understanding Weather and Climate by Aguado and Burt
I’m not quite sure a textbook exists that covers the material I want. Most seem to focus on meteorology. A few focus just on climatology. I’d like one that is about half and half. If I don’t make a decision soon, I’ll have to either use Essentials of Meteorology or have no official textbook. Any suggestions?
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8 Responses to “Le interlibrary loan and textbook selection”
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Are you looking for a textbook to assign to students with your course more or less already in mind, or looking for one to outline your class around?
More the first. I’ve got an outline of what I’d like to cover… sort of. It’s sort of lacking in one area though. I’d like a textbook that deals with weather and climate. Not a meteorology text that appends one chapter on climate at the end. If it has material on other aspects of the “Earth system”, all the better.
Although, I talked to the administrative assistant, and it might be too late to use anything that the bookstore can’t get quick. Such is life. I’d like to still here what texts others are using/have used though.
Why not do course packs with selected chapters from two intro texts? Depending on the reproduction rate, it would probably be cheaper for the kids to boot.
IL has been around since before Eli was born, and that goes back 60 years or so. Welcome to the 20th Century kid.
BTW are you haunting Wikipedia these days?
Haunting?
I think driveling better describes what I’ve been doing.
Sorry if this is too late, but what about Atmosphere, Weather and Climate by Barry and Chorley?
There’s a whole bunch of intro general-ed type textbooks out there. We use Aguado and Burt, but the book doesn’t matter as much as what you do in class and how you approach it.
Hello Atmoz!
I have “Weather” of the Golden Nature Guides Series. The book cost only $1.00 in 1964 and it covers the basics quite well and has a brief section on climate.
Keep in mind that for most people, weather is far more important than climate.