Government Documents

Celebrating Women's History Month 2023

March is Women’s History Month! First designated in 1980 by former President Jimmy Carter, this month-long celebration is a time to honor the history of the Women’s Rights Movement and to recognize the many diverse experiences of women in America. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”, chosen as a way to highlight those both past and present, “who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art, pursuing truth, and reflecting the human condition decade after decade.”

The Women’s Rights Movement was a social and political movement that aimed to lessen the gap between men and women in America. While the U.S. has come a long way since its conception, people are still fighting for more equal rights for all Americans, namely contemporary activists are further advocating for issues like reproductive rights, racial justice, equal pay, and so much more. Consequently, Women’s History Month remains a time to honor those who have come before and continue after.

We invite you to browse some of our department’s governmental resources in a commemorative display as we celebrate Women’s History Month 2023! The display can be found at Marx Library on 2nd Floor South, with a pamphlet and a 7-page bibliography for additional information.

Sea Level Rise -- Coming soon to a coast near you

Climate change has made a substantial contribution to global mean sea level rise since 1900, contributing to a rate of rise that is greater than during any preceding century in at least 2,800 years. Sea level rise is primarily driven by two factors related to climate change. The first factor is “thermal expansion”, as ocean temperatures rise, the water expands. The second factor is melting of land ice (ice sheets and glaciers), which adds water to the world’s oceans. Sea level rise is not uniform across the globe. Coastal communities are affected by their local sea level rise, which reflects global sea level rise, changes in local land elevation, tides and winds. Sea level along the U.S. coastline is projected to rise, on average, 10-12 inches in the next 30 years (2020-2050). This is on top of the 10-12 inches of rise that occurred over the past 100 years (1920-2020). Sea level rise varies regionally along U.S. coasts because of changes in both land and ocean height.

For more information from the federal government, there is a display called Sea Level Rise on 2nd Floor South, near the library's south entrance. Accompanying the display is a 10-page bibliography for government resources on the topic.