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September 2001 LIBRARY NEWS more Parking coming soon! West Vancouver Council has approved additional parking spaces for the Library. The small house across 20th Street, west of the Library, is no longer in use and is in very bad shape. It will be demolished and the lot will be paved and landscaped to create more parking dedicated to the Library. Much of the existing landscaping will be retained or moved to the perimeter. The property is owned by the District and may be developed at some time in the future. In the meantime Library patrons will be able to use the 20 to 25 new parking spaces. We are trying to complete this project during the next 2 months before the weather changes. It may cause some additional parking and traffic problems in the short term but the result will be very positive for Library patrons. Our thanks to Council for its support. WEST VANCOUVER MEMORIAL LIBRARY 1950 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC,V7V 1J8 Tel: (604) 925-7400 Library Hours: (604) 925-7401 Fax: (604) 925-5933 Website: www.westvanlib.org REFERENCE SERVICES Often the Reference Desk is asked to research topics that might seem alarmist. Nevertheless, librarians take all questions seriously. The following is an interesting one: Asteroid disaster on Earth: The question of near-Earth-object (NEO) or asteroid collisions now ceases to be a laughing matter for the scientific community. At the turn of this century, astronomers observed a lump of rock the size of an office block on a collision course with Earth - its time of arrival ... September 23, 2030. Fortunately, recalculations put this object a safe distance from the Earth. Had the object collided, it would have likely exploded in the Earth’s atmosphere with the energy of several atomic bombs. Objects nearing the Earth’s orbit number more than 700 per year. It is now 65-million years since the last terrestrial extinction, and just 49,000 years since an iron asteroid blasted out Arizona’s y4-mile-wide Meteor Crater. As recently as 1996, an asteroid measuring V2 km (•"3 mile) in size passed within 280,000 miles of Earth - a hairbreadth by astronomical standards. This was the largest observed object to pass so close. Had it hit, an explosion equal to about 10,000 MTs (megatons) would have occurred (/ MT = 100 Hiroshima bombs). For a list of close encounters, check out the Harvard University list Close Approaches to the Earth at the Internet site: http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iaii/lists/CloseApp.html As scary as this seems, disaster is not inevitable. Since 1997, asteroid-hunting pioneers have established joint ventures with government who are equipped with computerized technology, satellite-spotting and hunting telescopes to discover cosmic objects. Early detection, preferably years in advance, would enable exploratory spacecraft to determine the nature of interlopers. Astrophysicists are already envisioning tailor-made nuclear explosions to pulverize or deflect asteroids. Some schemes call for anchoring a rocket motor or a solar sail to an asteroid to alter its orbit enough to bypass Earth. For those interested, the British National Space Centre published the Report of the Task Force on Potentially Hazardous Near Earth Objects in September 2000. Reference has a copy, or to access the full text of this document, one can go to the Internet address: http://www.nearearthohiects.co.uk/ neo report, cfm Sources: “Britain works on preventing asteroid collisions.” Countryside & Small Stock Journal. voI.85(l) (January/February 2001): p. 108. Jaroff Leon, “Will a killer asteroid hit the earth?” Time. vol.l55(14) (April 10, 2000): p. 80 Hazel Muir, “Target Earth.” New Scientist, vol. 169(2280), (March 3, 2001): p. 40-44. ADULT SERVICES IN THE GALLERY ... “Not About Cows” in oil, acrylic, pastel and ceramics by artist Elizabeth Harris-Nichols will continue on display in the gallery until September 9. “Intricate Works” by artist Paula Fodchuk and “Focus on Flowers” by photographer Yuni Nixon will be featured in the gallery September 10 until September 30. Paula has developed a unique and whimsical style using pen, ink and watercolour. Her images are colourful, vibrant and joyful. Yuni is a self-taught photographer. She has travelled widely and her photographs of Chile were featured in a one-woman show in the gallery of the University Women’s Club of Vancouver at Hycroft. Intrigued by form and colour, her focus now is on flowers. Reception, artists in attendance, Friday, September 14,6:00 - 7:30 p.m. AUTHOR VISIT David Adams Richards...Giller prize winner for “Mercy Among the Children” and Governor General’s award winner for “Nights Below Station Street” will read from his novels. His novels are reflections of his beloved Miramichi Region in New Brunswick, but his voice speaks to all Canadians. Ihesday, September 11th, 7:30 pm, Peter J. Peters Room Please call 604-925-7402 to pre-register as space is limited. Adult Programs NOTE: Internet classes and Cyber Saturdays will possibly not be offered for the month of September due to construction. September ... the last hours of summer are past... holidays are but memories and the golden days of September draw us into Autumn pursuits. September is a great clear out month... if you are having a