Author: rormsby

Yesterday while I was on the desk a student inquired if we had a print copy of last Friday’s NYT that he could take out of the library as he was to read it for class. When electronic versions were suggested the student said they were asked to read the print version and bring it to class.

I gave him my contact information as I had it at home and told him I would bring it in today.  As I didn’t get his name, I have put the paper in an envelope and placed it on the shelf under the printer at the reference desk where the “to be picked up box” used to be.  Anyone know where this box is now?

New books  added this week to Books 24×7 include some of the Wiley 2011-2010 CPA review books, 37th edition.  Since students often ask if the library has circulating copies of these review books you can mention this site to them.  The most recent print copies we have are in reserve.

Today’s NYT has an article about the rapid response of 27 states, including New York, to approve national common standards for what students should learn in English and math each year from kindergarten through high school. The story mentions that the timetable for actual implementation is uncertain.  There may be questions in the future about these standards.  As the article notes, states have a long tradition of retaining local control over curriculum.  States that adopt the standards by Aug. 2 win points toward the Race to the Top funding to be awarded in Sept.

Recently, through a grant from the Institute of Internal Auditors, the library received a number of books to update the internal auditing materials.  A series of five books to help students review for the Certified Internal Auditor exam was part of materials received.  These are the only review materials we have for this exam.

The five book set  is the print equivalent of their online CIA Learning System, which is fee based.

However, the print books do not have the review quizzes that the online system contains.  A student would need to pay for individual access for this material.   More details are available at the IIA’s website.  Individual student memberships are available for $50, which provides for discounts on purchases and registration for parts of the exam.  An application must be made to sit for the exam, much like many other exams these days.

There is not a password that can be used with the print resources.

One may download for free on the IIA homepage  the Certification Candidate Handbook and complete the My CIA Review Plan for free, which suggests a study schedule.  Accessing the online quizzes requires individual access which must be purchased.  This is explained on the inside pages of each book.

The books are in reserve.  The overall title of the series is the IIA’s CIA Learning System

Part I: The Internal Audit Activity’s Role in Governance, Risk and Control

HF 5668.25  .I53 2009, part 1,

Part 2: Conducting the Internal Audit Engagement HF 5668.25  .I53 2009, part 2.

Part 3a: Business Analysis and Information Technology  HF 5668.25 .I53 2009, part 3a. (covers Business Processes, Financial Accounting and Finance and Managerial Accounting)

Part 3b: Business Analysis and Information Technology HF.5668.25 .I53 2009 part 3b. (covers regulatory, legal and economics, and information technology)

Part 4: Business Management Skills HF 5668.25 .I53 2009 part 4.

While these books are designed to help candidates prepare for the internal auditor exam, they can be helpful in other ways, such as summarizing key points and references to materials such as Sawyer’s Internal Auditing,(a book available in reference) or an exhibit such as Audit Cycle Red Flags (Part 2-155).

Please let me know if you have any questions.  The accounting professors who teach internal auditing and Mike Waldman and his staff helped in getting the materials from the IIA.

New research available from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York includes the following report:

“The Recession’s Impact on the State Budgets of New York and New Jersey,” Richard Deitz, Andrew F. Haughwout, and Charles Steindel (June/July 2010)
JEL codes: H70, H71, H72

In the wake of the most recent U.S. recession, both New York State and New Jersey have faced multibillion-dollar budget gaps. An analysis of the makeup of their budgets reveals that the states’ heavy reliance on personal income taxes–particularly from high-wage earners in the finance sector–has exacerbated revenue shortfalls. To close their budget gaps, New York and New Jersey have had to make difficult choices about tax increases and service cuts. In the future, the states might take steps to avert such budget quandaries by establishing “rainy day” funds or restructuring taxes to make them less sensitive to the business cycle.
http://www.newyorkfed.org/research/current_issues/ci16-6.html

Goodwill has recently launched a calculator which enables one to calculate the impact of one’s donation of clothing,  household goods, electronic equipment, etc. on providing services available to help people with training for employment, etc. Goodwill’s partner in the Donate Movement is Levi Strauss & Co.

While looking at their website today, I learned today that the NYC Board of Education has a posting of grade by grade information skills and priority benchmark skills relating to information fluency.  I thought the grade 12 skills might be of particular interest.

The Points of Light Institute recently released a new report updating standards for data collection, report metrics, and indicators of community involvement among corporations to assist corporations in measuring the impact of employee volunteer programs.