Age of Umpquarius

A Virtual Health Reference Library

2012-01-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Need to locate authoritative information on a health topic? Th e G ale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) continues to grow with new updates of their popular health encyclopedias. Whether on campus or somewhere else with Internet access, you can now investigate maladies in the latest editions of The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine and many other titles.

These same titles are also included as part of Gale's Health and Wellness Resource Center and can be searched along with full text articles, dictionaries, and other encyclopedic information about health.

Salem Health, another reference publisher, also produces several multi-volume health encyclopedias including Magill's Medical Guide, Salem Health: Psychology and Mental Health, Salem Health: Genetics, and Salem Health: Cancer. UCC Library has the print volumes along with an online database of the same encyclopedias. The database includes information about diseases, disorders, genetics, treatments, procedures, specialties, anatomy, biology, and related issues, with sidebars addressing recent developments in medicine and concise information boxes for all diseases and disorders.

A Perfect Opportunity For A Bookl

2011-12-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

November has finally come and gone. We are now in the depths of autumn. As the temperatures begin to drop and the rain clouds invade the skies, going outside is a lot less fun than it used to be. However, it is also the perfect opportunity to snuggle under a warm blanket and read a book. The library has plenty of books to choose from, but here are just a few of them.

By The Light of the Moon by Dean Koontz (813.54 KOONTZ K)

Dylan O'Connor, on his way to an arts festival in Santa Fe, is attacked by a mysterious "doctor" who injects him with an unknown substance and tells him that he is now a carrier of something that will either kill him or transform his life. Then he is told that he must flee--before the doctor's enemies hunt him down for the secret circulating through his body. No one can help him, the doctor says, not even the police. The next 24 hours turn into an odyssey of terror, mystery--and wondrous discovery.

Camille by Alexander Dumas (843.7 Dumas D)

The book begins with a sale of a courtesan's things after her death. The narrator happens to go there by chance, and intrigued by what he saw, decides to write about her life. Margaret Gautier was the most popular and sought-after courtesan in Paris. Her symbol was the white camellia, which she wore whenever she was . . . available for business. However, she casts off her upper-class lifestyle for the commoner Armand Duval. But try as they might, society constantly challenges their love.

Ordeal by Nevil Shute (823.912 SHUTE S)

Written in 1938, just before the Second World War broke out, Ordeal is what Nevil Shute, and possibly the rest of Europe, feared would happen.The story follows the Corbett family as they try to survive multiple bombings, cholera, food shortages, and life aboard their small little yacht in the south of England.The Corbetts are good people, but sometimes they have to resort to more monstrous means in order to take care of their family and survive.

The Brief and Frightening Rein of Phil by George Saunders (813.54 SAUNDERS S)

Phil used to be a perfectly ordinary guy, with a perfectly ordinary hate for the people of Inner Horner until one day the country of Inner Horner shrinks and its few residents find themselves standing inn the country of Outer Horner. Never one to waste a chance, Phil claims that they are invading the country and must be punished. It begins innocently enough with a tax, but before long, Phil becomes so power-hungry that he feels the need to rule everything and get rid of the Inner Hornerites. In short, it is probably the strangest story about war that you will ever find, but it's wonderfully entertaining.

The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The War of The Worlds by H.G. Wells (823.912 WELLS W)
H.G. Wells has a reputation for being one of the fathers of science fiction, and that rests mainly on these three novels. The Time Machine follows its scientist narrator to the year 802701 A.D. where two social classes have evolved into two separate races. The Invisible Man is about a scientist who discovers a way to make himself invisible and then becomes disconnected from society and from his own mind. The War of the Worlds features an alien invasion by martians who devastate the earth and feed on human victims while the red weed spreads over the planet.

Extra open hours this Friday and Saturday

2011-11-28T08:29:00.001-08:00

Once again the UCC Library will be open some extra hours this Friday and Saturday to help you study for upcoming finals!

We'll be open:

7:30 am -- 6 pm Friday, Dec. 2nd
11 am -- 7 pm on Saturday, Dec. 3rd for the ASUCC Study-In

Please join us for Science (and Math, Literature, and everything else)! Good luck with those final papers and exams.

Is School Not Keeping You Busy Enough?

2011-11-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Did Halloween come and go too fast this year? Do you wish Thanksgiving would turn into Halloween II? Well now it can! Stay in the scary spirit with watching these movies and reading these books to help the time pass by until the warm weather comes back! Lucky for you, all of these can be found in the UCC library!

Just After Sunset
By: Stephen King

Scare your socks off with these short stories!

"Starred Review. Culled almost entirely from leading mainstream periodicals, these stories are a testament to the literary merits of the well-told macabre tale." - Publishers Weekly

"An uneven collection, but King has plainly had a ball writing these stories." - Kirkus Reviews

Shaun Of The Dead - DVD 791.43 S

Shaun doesn't have a very good day, so he decides to turn his life around by getting his ex to take him back, but he times it for right in the middle of what may be a zombie apocalypse... But for him, it's an opportunity to show everyone he knows how useful he is by saving them all. All he has to do is survive... And get his ex back.

Scanners - DVD 791.43 1980 S

Scanners have great psychic power, strong enough to control minds; they can inflict enormous pain and damage on their victims. Doctor Paul Ruth finds a scanner that Darryl Revok (the leader of the underground scanner movement for world domination) hasn't, and converts him to the good side so they can destroy the underground movement together.

Alien - DVD 791.43 A

The crew of the deep space mining ship Nostromo are awaken from hypersleep to investigate a strange signal from a nearby planet. While investigating the signal, they discover it was intended as a warning, and not an SOS.

Kitty's House Of Horrors
By: Carrie Vaughn - PB V

Talk radio host and werewolf Kitty Norville has agreed to appear on TV's first all-supernatural reality show. She's expecting cheesy competitions and manufactured drama starring shapeshifters, vampires, and psychics. But what begins as a publicity stunt will turn into a fight for her life.

An American Werewolf In London -

DVD 791.43 A

Two American students are on a tour of Britain and are attacked by a Werewolf, leaving one dead and the other badly injured. The Werewolf is killed but reverts to its human form, and the local townspeople are unwilling to acknowledge its existence. The surviving student begins to have nightmares of hunting on four feet, but then his friend and other recent victims start appearing to him and demand the he find a way to die to release them from their curse of being trapped between worlds.

Night Of The Living Dead -
DVD 791.43 N

A group of people are trapped inside a farmhouse as legions of the walking dead try to get inside and eat their brains...Yum.. Can they get out of a zombie attack alive?

What Journals Do We Subscribe To??

2011-11-09T11:01:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed our diminishing display shelves for new issues of magazines? Paper magazines/journals are seeing less use every year for research (and recreation). Some have gone out of business; others are neglected. Then we cancel the subscription. However, our magazine collection is bigger than ever. Aggregators, companies such as EBSCO and Gale, have thousands of full text titles in their databases and the UCC library has dozens of these databases. Our biggest database of magazine/journal articles is EBSCOHost Academic Search Premier but Gale, CQ Researcher, and LexisNexis also provide access to tens of thousands of articles. Meanwhile, both EBSCO and Gale produce many subject databases, some with unique journal titles.

What if you are looking for a specific journal? How are you supposed to know which database includes that title? Well, EBSCO has a database for that:

It's name is A-to-Z Index and it looks just about as plain as its name:

But it does get the job done: type in the name of a journal and the results of your search will give you a list of those databases where your journal is available in full text.

In "advanced search" you can search general subjects like children or crime or music to see a list of journals on that topic and which database provides the full text.

Obviously, it should be said that if one of our database subscriptions does NOT have the full text of the journal you are looking for, then there will be no results for your search. (Check for typos or ask the library staff for help at any time!)

Something to Talk About

2011-10-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you that like to know strange facts and perhaps entertain others with your obscure knowledge, here are some books you could read.

Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan (599.35 S)

Rats are not usually the best conversation starter and should probably be left out of one's dinner conversation, and to most people they're disgusting little creatures that are better off dead than alive. They're everywhere and nobody really likes to think about them. But how have we tried to get rid of them and what part have they played in our history? By hanging around the alleys of New York, Robert Sullivan set out to find the answers.

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: All the Words; Volume One and Two (791.4572 C)

"Almost certainly nominated for something somewhere," these two books contain the 45 episodes of Monty Python's flying circus. Literally, all the words. If, through watching the episodes, you haven't yet been able to memorize all the lines, here is your chance.

Monty Python Speaks! by David Morgan (791.4572 M)

But wait, there's more! To compliment the witty sketches of Monty Python's Flying Circus, you can learn about how it all came to be in the first place. Monty Python Speaks is the history of the show as told by its founding members and many other people. The San Francisco Chronicle called it "the nearest thing imaginable to a group autobiography." Go behind the scenes with the actors to take a look at the show and their lives behind the scenes.

Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond (338.476 A)

Most people in this world love candy, but perhaps none so much as Steve Almond. He has had a piece of candy very single day of his life and thinks about candy about once an hour. That is why he noticed the disappearance of many delicious candy bars throughout the years. Thus he embarked on a journey through the nation to find out what happened and discover the truth about the candy business.

And last, but most definitely not least, have you ever wanted to learn Klingon? If you have, there is a Klingon dictionary located in the library for anyone to enjoy. Complete with lessons in grammar, the language from Star Trek is available to you.

The Klingon Dictionary: English-Klingon, Klingon-English by Marc Okrand (791.45 O)

A Staple for the Perfect Paper

2011-10-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

You've researched the topic, synthesized massive amounts of information, written a thing of beauty, and grappled with citation formats. Just one last thing to do, now that you've cranked out that awesome paper and are looking forward to an "A":

Finding this a little hard to read? No problem. Click on the picture to make it bigger. Or we have super-sized it and put it on the wall above the staplers to facilitate your stapling experience.

Umpqua Foodways

2011-10-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

So what are "foodways"?

Here's a definition from Wikipedia: In social science foodways are the cultural, social and economic practices relating to the production and consumption of food.

In Douglas County we have the weather and the land to support a rich variety of foodways. And the region has a long history of agriculture and ranching. The most recent and obvious development is the boom in wine grape production.

"Think local" and you'll find an abundance of good food and drink in our region and state:

“In New Food Culture, a Young Generation of Farmers Emerges” features a Corvallis, Oregon farm. New York Times, March 5, 2011.

Here are two local farms that could have been in this article:

Big Lick Farm is a family farm and CSA committed to providing high quality, naturally grown food.

OMyGato Farm is also a local CSA farm.

If anyone is on top of the local food movement, it has to be Jennifer Coalwell, who blogs regularly about local farms, foods, markets, and eateries. "Flavors of the Umpqua: Notes from a Local Kitchen" is an excellent resource. Includes recipes!

Think Local Umpqua supports and encourages all local businesses. Pick up one of the "Think Local Umpqua" directories on the new book shelf just inside the front door of the library. Their web site includes an event calendar that lists local farmers markets and the Think Local Umpqua Business Directory may be the most comprehensive guide to local food and farms. Be sure to choose "Business Type": Food/Farming/Wine and search "All".

Pick Your Own is a handy directory to several (but not all) you-pick farms in Douglas County. Complete with driving directions and produce details.

Great information about Emerald Hills Beef and Umpqua Valley Lamb comes from the Portland natural foods chain of New Seasons Markets. Locally, their beef and lamb are available at Kruse Farms.

Of course, Kruse Farms Market, Bakery, and Gift Shop offers all kinds of local produce and bakery treats, including bread from the Lighthouse Center Bakery, Cafe, and Country Store.

You can check out the growing list of wineries in "Oregon's Oldest Fine Wine Region" at the informative and comprehensive Umpqua Valley Wineries web site.

And finally, you can learn more about food, agriculture, eating, and cooking at your local library by picking up a book like Kitchen Literacy: How We lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes from and Why We Need to Get It Back by Ann Vileisis.

FALL 2011 CONTEST

2011-10-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

The FALL 2011 CONTEST is over. 20 students identified their pictures and picked up a gift certificate. Thanks to everyone who participated!

There are about 43 recognizable faces below in this post. The first twenty to find themselves and report to the front "Circulation" desk at the library, will win a $25 gift certificate good for anything at the UCC Bookstore. Gift certificates are limited to the first 20! This is our way of saying Thank You to the students who end up in our photos because they use the library (and are so photogenic!)

These pictures were mostly taken randomly on October 5, 2011, when there were over 170 people in the building. A couple of others were taken during the French Invasion last Spring and a few were shots taken recently that may have ended up on our home page.

Take a look! Are you there?

What We're Reading

2011-09-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them
by Donovan Hohn (551.462 H)

Let’s say you go to the beach, and for the heck of it throw a rubber duck into the ocean. Or thousands, why not? What happens next? Where does the current take them? Could you track them? These are the questions Hohn set out to answer, and his travels take him from a beautiful remote Alaskan peninsula to the heart of a Chinese toy factory, back and forth across the Pacific. A recommended read for fans of Bill Bryson, or anyone who loves wide-ranging social histories.

My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: 40 new fairy tales
edited by Kate Bernheimer (813.54 MY)

Featuring authors like Joyce Carol Oates, Shelley Jackson, Neil Gaiman, and more, dip into this book of “new” fairy tales (most were inspired / influenced by the themes of traditional tales) to give you something to take the edge off that Harry Potter craving. Be warned, though-- these stories feature adult themes, and are quite a bit darker than your average Disneyesque adaptation.

The Mind’s Eye
Oliver Sacks (616.855 S)

What is it like, to be able to write, to play music, to comprehend individual letters...yet be unable to read? Or to be unable to recognize faces, no matter how familiar? Or to walk down a sidewalk outside one’s home, knowing a wrong turn means being impossibly lost...even after living at the same address for years? Oliver Sacks writes about people with each of these conditions with humor and insight. On being face-blind: “To me, she says, “Don’t just say no-- that’s rude and will upset people. Say, ‘I’m sorry, I am awful about recognizing people. I wouldn’t recognize my own mother.’” This is an exaggeration-- I had no trouble recognizing my parents, though I was less adept with my huge extended family.”

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: popularity, quirk theory, and why outsiders thrive after high school
Alexandra Robbins (303.324 R)

This is one of those books that everyone is talking about. Robbins’ basic theme is that many teens who feel excluded, lonely, and isolated in late middle school and high school are, paradoxically, the ones most likely to be successful later in life. In addition, she follows up the details of her study by following six teens-- given “themed” titles like “The Band Geek”-- through a year of high school, showing through interviews and stories how the traits that we would identify as “interesting” and “likable” in adults actually lead to alienation in the extremely cliquish social environment of grades 7 -12. This title is being billed as “invaluable” for teachers, schools administrators, and anyone else who works or lives with someone in this teenage Twilight Zone.

All of these titles are available at the UCC Library for your reading pleasure!

Something Fishy in the Library

2011-08-30T12:45:00.001-07:00

Some visitors to the library just look like a fish out of water.

This one swam all the way across the library looking for a friendly face, mistaking the library director's office for a fishbowl.

Before we could ~~reel it in~~ offer it help it started surfing the reference books.

Lucky for us, Dr. Moore, the Vice President of Student Development and Lavera from Admissions arrived on the scene to informally ~~grill~~ interview the creature to find out if it was trying to become a ~~meal~~ student in the Culinary Arts Program or what.

That's when it floated over to Amy who thoughtfully offered it a Reserve book, "Becoming a Master Student", and it happily took the ~~bait~~ book and swam off to study.

We assume it wants to transfer to our school.

Summer Grill & Wine

2011-06-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

Would you like some cheese with that wine? How about some barbecue? Something about the summer months invites us to spend more time outside taking advantage of the great weather, tasty fresh ingredients, and longer days-- all things wine tasting and grilling are made for!

Maybe you're a grilling neophyte or a certified wine-tasting expert-- there's something for every pallet in the UCC Library's cookbook collection.

A little bit of wine, a little bit of food, and some light conversation

What to Drink with What You Eat
This helpful volume will help you decide everything from the best beverage to go with truffles to the perfect food to serve with the soda at your summer barbecue. Also great for sparking conversations: "Wine with pizza? Really?!"

The Vintner's Kitchen: celebrating the wines of Oregon
Have you ever noticed the Avocado Crostini in the photos for Rustle-Prayer Rock Vineyard while waiting for a movie to start at the cinema? Thought it looked good? Now you can learn how to make it-- and which wine goes best with it. Fruit salads, entrees, wine punches, pasta and barbecue-- this cookbook has a little of everything, and many of the recipes are from the Umpqua area.

Serious Barbecue: smoke, char, baste, & brush your way to great outdoor cooking
Adam Perry Lang studied under several culinary internships before deciding what he really wanted to do was cook things with fire-- and here he is to help you do it, too.

Perfect Pairings: a master sommelier's practical advice for partnering wine with food
Evan Goldstein provides details on the major types of wine as well as menus and recipes for food to accompany each variety. Specific labels are suggested after each recipe, and the index in the back lets you look up both "food by wine type" and "wines by food being served."

Quirky Histories

Cooking with Shakespeare
If you're heading out to the theater or down to Ashland, you're bound to work up an appetite. This historical cookbook covers what food was like in Shakespeare's time, including original recipes with modern adaptations, each with a difficulty scale.

The Texas Cowboy Cookbook
Combine grilling with history-- and savor some of the Old West in your own kitchen or backyard with this collection of cowboy meals from the 1800s through the present. Hint: it helps if you like beans.

What I Eat: around the world in 80 diets

This isn't a cookbook, exactly, but if your travel budget is stretched thin and you'd like to experience the world through food, this might be just the ticket. Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio photograph and document a typical day's worth of food for individuals around the world, from a Bangladeshi child working as a train station porter to the manager of a high-rise eatery in Canada to a sustainable farmer in Virginia. Even more interesting-- calorie counts and meal lists are provided, as well as a brief snapshot of each person's "daily routine."

Documentaries to Check Out

2011-06-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

The next time that you are wondering what do to with some of your free time, you may want to consider checking out a documentary from the library collection. Documentaries are a wonderful way to learn about other cultures and different ways of life. They also offer the possibility of stimulating discussions. The UCC library has a wide selection of documentaries on various topics, so you are sure to find something that interests you.

If the darker side of sports is something that you would like to learn more about, then check out Blood Equity. Produced by Roman Phifer, former Denver Broncos coach, this film explores the lives of professional football players after retirement. Football enthusiasts will enjoy interviews from players like Willie Wood, Donnie Green, Daryl "Moose" Johnston, and Mike Ditka. Even those who don't follow football closely will be interested in the irony of the struggles that former NFL players face against the NFL Player's Union.

The struggles that same-sex couples face in the United States is documented in Pursuit of Equality. This culturally relevant documentary may appeal to you. The film centers around same-sex marriages that took place in San Francisco in 2004. You don't want to miss this controversial, award winning film that deals with current issues that our country faces.

If global issues are more appealing to you, then Burma VJ may be an appropriate selection. Featuring partially reconstructed and smuggled film, this documentary takes you to restricted areas to follows the uprisings against the Burmese military that took place in September of 2007.

These are just a few of the documentaries that are available at the UCC library. So try to find one that engrosses you, and you may be able to learn a few things without even leaving your sofa!

Extended Library Hours May 27 - June 4

2011-05-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

(Now you're thinking....with portals!)

It's that time again! The end of the term is upon us, and that means finals are right around the corner. Join us for extended hours at the library to get your study on! Here is the schedule in full:

Friday, May 27th : Open 7:30am - 6pm

Saturday, May 28th & Monday, May 30th : Closed for Memorial Day

Tuesday - Thursday, May 31 - June 2nd : 7:30am - 9pm

Friday, June 3rd : 7:30am - 6pm

Saturday, June 4th : 11 am- 7 pm (ASUCC Study-In)

Good luck!

Where the fantastic is normal...

2011-05-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

What do we do when the doors of our house open up to an entirely different place, when long-passed relatives visit to give us relationship advice, and when it starts raining cats and dogs...literally?

Well, you and I might find it strange and amazing, but these sorts of events are the everyday bread-and-butter of magical realism.

Magical realism is "a style of literature which integrates a realist mode of writing with fantastical or marvelous events treated as perfectly ordinary occurrences" (A Dictionary of Critical Theory).

And visiting someplace else that is almost (but not quite) like here can be a fun literary vacation. We have a number of great finds related to magical realism at the library, so let's get started!

Films (descriptions from IMDb)

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
[UCC Library DVD 791.43 P]

"In the fascist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world."

Volver (2006)
[UCC Library DVD 791.43 V]
"After her death, a mother returns to her home town in order to fix the situations she couldn't resolve during her life."

Amélie (2001)
[UCC Library DVD 791.43 A]
"Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love."

Books

Kafka on the Shore (2005)
[UCC Library stacks 895.635 Murakami M]

"The black cat slowly stretched out a leg, then it narrowed its eyes and gave the old man another good long look.

With a big grin on his face, the man stared right back. The cat hesitated for a time, then plunged ahead and spoke. 'Hmm...so you're able to speak.'

'That's right,' said the old man bashfully. To show his respect, he took off his threadbare cotton hiking hat. 'Not that I can speak to every cat I meet, but if things go well I can. Like right now.'

'Interesting,' the cat said simply" (43).

One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967)
[UCC Library stacks 863 Garcia G]

Garcia Marquez tells the story of Macondo, a town frequented by gypsies and found by following birdsong, and the Buendia family over the course of generations. Garcia Marquez won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982, and this novel is often cited as the classic example of magical realism.

American Gods (2001)
[Douglas Co. Libraries, Roseburg: SF Gai]
(You can have this novel sent to UCC by placing a hold!)

Shadow has just been released from prison, and all he wants is to get back to a normal life. But he has a problem-- all through America's history, immigrants have been bringing their stories with them to the new country-- Odin, Spider, Leprechauns and all the rest-- and now Shadow is caught in a war between the old myths and the new.

French Invasion

2011-05-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

French 103 students challenge UCC students to test their knowledge of the French culture with games.

French Trivia stumped most of the players, but ooh la la, many students excelled at defining the French expressions we use in English.

The Name Game asked if you could recognize famous French people. Noteworthy was Pepe Le Pew’s popularity.

An encore performance of the game table will take place on Thursday from noon to 1:00 in the Cafeteria. Come and test your French IQ.

Printemps à Paris

2011-04-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

We've recently added some new books to the collection about one of the world's most fascinating cities. If you don't see them on the "New Books" shelf and want to track any of them down, ask one of the library staff for help.

Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris by Graham Robb reveals the city through portraits of some of its most amazing denizens.

And The Sh ow Went On: Cultural Life in Nazi-Occupie d Paris by Alan Riding shines the light on Parisian life under the Nazis.

No Regrets: The Life of Edith Piaf by Carolyn Burke provides a definitive biography of one of the world's finest vocalists and the subject of the academy award winning "La Vie En Rose". She played a role in the French Resistance during WWII, and when she died in 1963, tens of thousands of mourners emptied into the streets and brought Parisian traffic to a halt.

Women of the Left Bank, Paris, 1900 - 1940 by Shari Benstock provides a literary history of a special place and time through the lives of the creative women, many expatriate Americans, living in Paris in the early twentieth century.

The Discovery of France : A Historical Geography from the Revolution to the First World War by Graham Robb takes you into the rural landscape of a developing country, where there was little in common with the City of Light.

The Southern Half of the Hemisphere

2011-03-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

How much do you know about our neighbors to the south? We've recently added a variety of new books about Latin American countries.

A team of writers contribute to the Moon guide to Peru to provide you with a lot more than travel information. Informative articles and pictures are interspersed throughout the guides to cities and sites to see.

Obviously, there is more to Venezuela than Hugo Chavez! This concise survey of the nation covers its history as a Spanish colony, its years under a variety of dictatorships, and its status as a modern nation.

Brazil on the Rise was written by a New York Times bureau chief, who lived in Brazil for 14 years. He weaves many personal stories into this overview of colonial history and contemporary events. Learn about Brazil's economy, governance, and its people.

Published in 2010, this is the 5th edition of Latin America: Its Problems and Its Promise. It is an up-to-date guide to environmental issues in Costa Rica and Brazil, political movements across the region, the US relationship with Ecuador, Colombia, and other countries, and analysis of developing and deteriorating economies. Although it covers a lot of territory, it provides a solid foundation to understand the challenges of the region.

Fernando Lugo, a liberation priest, is now the president of Paraguay. He brings new hope to a country plagued by tyranny, repression, and poverty.

Words, maps, and pictures combine to provide insight into Argentina. More than just a guide to the best restaurants, tourist sites, and places to stay, this Eyewitness Travel guide informs about the history and culture of the country.

This is just a sample of the many books on the library shelves that can help you learn about the amazing histories and cultures of Latin America. Most of our books on Latin America are shelved in the 972 and 980's sections of the library collection.

Rock Revival

2011-03-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

As we wrap up the Winter term and head into Spring Break, maybe you're looking for some tunes to take with you? Or if you're like us, you're looking for some good music to tide you over while you wait for the major releases that are just a few weeks away.

Here are some just released or coming out soon items...and some "listen-alikes" to help fill your playlist while we wait!

Already Released

R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

Fans and Rolling Stone tag this as R.E.M.'s edgiest new album in years, going back to their roots. Judge for yourself by giving 2008's Accelerate (781.66 R) a listen for contrast before the new disc arrives.

The Decemberists - The King is Dead

Earlier albums by this Portland-based group, like The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love, feature longer songs, but this latest collection focuses on "short" pieces (for The Decemberists, a 4 min. track is short). Fans say the new album is catchy: "I didn't have to work to love this," one reviewer says on Amazon. All three are available at the library: 781.66 D.

Dropkick Murphys - Going Out in Style

Hey, it's St. Patrick's Day! Want some Irish punk with that green beer? The Dropkick Murphys can help you out in classic style. The Warrior's Code (2005) is available at 781.66 D while the new CD is on order.

Coming Soon (with music to try while you wait!)

Jennifer Hudson - I Remember Me

Pick up examples of Jennifer Hudson's earlier works on her self-titled album from 2008 (781.66 H), or the R & B retrospective film Dreamgirls.

Radiohead - King of Limbs

New Radiohead! While we wait (impatiently), chill out with the sounds of 2008's In Rainbows (781.66 R). When the sparkle of that album goes dull, try out The National's High Violet (781.66 N) [more lyrics, less synthetic, same atmospheric feel].

TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

We have two older TV on the Radio albums to get you in the Brooklyn mood, Return to Cookie Mountain and Dear Science (781.66 T). Arcade Fire (Funerals and The Suburbs are their two most recent albums) is an upcoming band that catches some of the same modern anxiety and apathy in their tunes (781.66 A).

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Pick up their earlier, self-titled album at 781.66 F to fill the hours until the May 3rd release date, or check out sound-alikes Iron & Wine on Mojo's collection of new Indie rock, Mojo Presents New Harvest (781.66 M).

Happy break, and happy listening!

Stretch out your studying with extended library hours

2011-03-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

Did you know, the library will be open some extra hours in the next few weeks to help you prepare for finals?

We'll be open 7:30 am- 6 pm on the next two Fridays-- March 4th and 11th-- and on Saturday, March 12th from 11 am - 7 pm for the ASUCC Study-In.

Good luck, and see you at the library!

Things Are Happening in the Middle East

2011-02-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

As the whole world watches Egypt, you might be seeking some context for the events unfolding there. The library can provide you with some useful reading:
Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Reistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam (2008) by Mark Levine might be the most unusual tour of the Middle East to be found in our collection. One chapter is devoted to the metalheads of Egypt and Levine's investigation provides insight into the Muslim Brotherhood, the edges of society resisting 30 years of dictatorship, and the many metal musicians who are well-educated sons and daughters of diplomats, military officers, or other members of the country's elite. (956 L)

John R. Bradley provides a prescient title in his three year old book: Inside Egypt: The Land of the Pharaohs on the Brink of a Revolution. "Five decades after Nasser and the Free Officers overthrew the British-backed monarchy in a dramatic coup d'etat, the future of Egypt grows more uncertain by the day as the country teeters on the brink. . ." A key U.S. ally, world tourist destination, and brutal Arab state is explained by a journalist fluent in Egyptian Arabic. (962.055 B)

For an understanding of the United States involvement and interests in the broader Middle East from George Washington to George Bush, check out Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East 1776 to the Present by Michael B. Oren. (Oren is the American-born Israeli Ambassador to the United States.) Did you know the region played a role in shaping American identity--including a majestic sculpture first designed to grace the Suez Canal in Egypt but later transformed into the Statue of Liberty? (956 O)

From A History of the Modern Middle East by William Cleveland to the reliable The Middle East for Dummies by Craig S. Davis the library collection can bring some understanding to this complex and rapidly changing part of the world.

Reading for fun

2011-01-25T13:06:00.000-08:00

If you need to take a break from text books to relax with a book of your choosing, then the UCC library is definitely the place to go. There are shelves lined with engaging books on a multitude of subjects. Here are just a few suggestions to help you fall back into love with reading.

"Click: When We Knew We Were Feminists" is an inspiring book edited by Courtney E. Martin and J. Courtney Sullivan. It features the stories of many different women from various lifestyles, writing about how they came to the realization that they were feminists. Their stories range from comical to emotionally touching and are encouraging for all age groups.

"Mexicanos in Oregon: Their Lives, Their Stories," written by Erlinda Gonzales-Berry, is another inspiring book that follows the stories of people from different walks of life with the same common goals. This book focuses on the increasing numbers of Latinos that are settling in Oregon. It discusses why they come and what they experience upon arrival. This book is an informative read for all Oregonians.

"The Price of Altruism: George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindness" by Oren Harman is another thought provoking book that tells the story of George Price. A genius from America, Price sets out to answer questions regarding kindness from an evolutionary perspective. The ending will leave you with much to ponder.

The UCC Library has a wide variety of books that will provide you with some relaxing, leisure time in between homework assignments. Come find a topic that interests you today!

THIS IS NOT A COPY MACHINE

2010-12-22T11:11:00.001-08:00

The machine so artfully posed in the above picture is the new wireless printer. It looks like a copy machine and, theoretically, it IS a copy machine, and many other things, too. But we've dumbed it down to function EXCLUSIVELY AS A PRINTER. You'll find it in place of the old wireless printer(s) and, yes, you'll have to install a new driver on your machine.

Meanwhile, the library computer lab has also been outfitted with these new machines dutifully performing exclusively as printers. Where once there were three, there are now TWO. The third moved to wireless duty.

With the printer upgrade one thing led to another and we were left with no other alternative but to move the pencil sharpener. We considered remodeling the library inside and out in an effort to leave the pencil sharpener alone. But in the end we just moved it. It's right over there:

Here's a little more context:

What else is new for Winter 2011? We spruced up one of the walls with a handsome new poster to guide you through the mysterious Dewey Decimal system of arranging books by subject:

And finally, don't forget to check out the new books!

Study-In!

2010-12-04T15:20:00.001-08:00

Today is the ASUCC Study-In! You can see there's lots of studying going on already-- come join us!

We'll be here until 7 p.m.

SURVEY WINNERS!!!!!!!!

2010-12-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

Check the list at the front desk of the library to see if you won a $25 gift certificate. Thanks to all 200 (!) of you who filled out a library survey and entered our drawing. We randomly pulled names from the box yesterday and twenty of you now have $25 to spend at the UCC Bookstore. Claim your prize!

Playing Games at the Library

2010-11-24T20:55:00.000-08:00

Does the weather have you retreating inside to play some video games? What if you could turn that favorite hobby into a research topic? Read on!

Video games have a 50-year history, reaching back to the crazy computer scientists in MIT's Building 20 knocking out walls according to Supercade: a visual history of the video game age. And while we're no longer building bookcase-sized machines to play them, video games are even more popular today than ever before: some online games have 12 million subscribers (That's more people than the entire population of Greece)!

The average gamer will have spent 10,000 hours playing by the time they're 21 years old. According to Michael Gladwell in his book, Outliers, that's roughly the amount we need to become an expert in any field.

So what can all this game playing do? Dr. Jane McGonigal, a theorist and multiplayer game designer, thinks that games might save the world:

Jane McGonigal: Gaming can make a better world | Video on TED.com

I really hope that we can come together to play games that matter, to survive on this planet for another century. And that's my hope that you will join me in making and playing games like this. When I look forward to the next decade,I know two things for sure, that we can make any future we can imagine, and we can play any games we want. So, I say let the world-changing games begin.

At right: What video games can teach us about learning and literacy.

Sound good?

Want to get started on creating games right away?

These books and more are waiting for you at the library- game on!

2010-11-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when we ask YOU to let us know how you use the library and its services. We also invite you to rate how we're doing. We use the results for library planning. The survey only takes a few minutes. Maybe less.

Please grab a survey form from a library staff member or pick up a form at the front desk. Check off the boxes; write your comments. AND THEN, fill out the little coupon at the end of the survey and enter our drawing to win a bookstore gift certificate for $25. You could be one of TWENTY to win.

The library staff truly appreciates your help!

Enjoy Oregon!

2010-10-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is easy to take the beautiful state that we live in for granted. Oregon is full of beautiful trails, scenic waterfalls, and abundant vineyards and Fall is a perfect time for an adventure. Here are some books to help you to make the most of the state that you live in.

If exploring vineyards and tasting local wines sounds like something that you would enjoy, then check out "Oregon Wine Country" by John Doerper. It offers guides to wineries throughout Yamhill County, Umpqua Valley, and Willamette Valley with suggestions on hotels and resturaunts. For further reading, check out "The Grail: a Year Ambling and Shambling Through an Oregon Vineyard in Pursuit of the Best Pinot Noir Wine in the Whole Wide World" by Brian Doyle.

If bird watching sounds like an interesting hobby to you, then flip through "Handbook of Oregon Birds: a Field Companion to Birds of Oregon" by Hendrik G. Herlyn and Alan Contreras. It is a useful guide to the birds that you will come across the next time that you are strolling through the woods or relaxing on your patio.

When you need to escape to a more urban setting for the weekend, a brief road trip to Portland can prove to be quite rewarding. Carl Abbott's "Greater Portland: Urban Life and Landscape in the Pacific Northwest" offers a useful account of Oregon's largest city.

If you are seeking inspiration on where to go on your next hiking adventure, look no further than Greg Vaughn's "Photographing Oregon: a guide to the Natural Landmarks of Oregon." The pages are full of mesmerizing landscapes that are easily accessible for Oregonians.

If you would like to take up a new hobby that involves getting into shape and enjoying nature, then "Rock Climbing Western Oregon" by Greg Orton may be an interesting book to browse through. If you are more interested in backpacking or hiking, and you need advice on which trails to take, then the UCC library has several books that will come in handy. Rhonda and George Ostertag's "75 Hikes in Oregon's Coast Range and Siskiyous" and Garret Romaine's "Gem Trails of Oregon" are both useful guides.

UCC Library is now loaning iPads!

2010-09-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

Starting this fall, we have three iPads available for student use in the library! In order to check one out, you'll need a student ID card with a Fall 2010 sticker.

The iPads come with a number of cool features, including the ability to access and read available ebooks in seconds! Most novels and books in the public domain (published before 1923) are freely down-loadable: this means Shakespeare, Dickens, Mary Shelley, and much, much more are at your fingertips!

If you have any questions or to add ebooks to your iPad on checkout, talk with a librarian.

PS- The cat is not included. :)

Cat/iPad photo from Veronica Belmont

Shrinking Print

2010-09-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

The UCC Library online reference collection keeps growing. . .as our print reference collection keeps shrinking. More and more of the big (and not-so-big) publishers of quality reference books are moving their collections online.

Check here for all of our online databases: http://www.umpqua.edu/index.php/search-databases

A few highlights:

EBSCO’s Literary Reference Center contains tens of thousands of literary critical analyses and over a thousand literary reference works.

Oxford Online Premium contains hundreds of reference books from Oxford Press.

Nearly all of our medical and nursing reference books are available both in print and online in Gale Health or Salem Health databases.

Credo Reference is an online general reference collection of 500+ books from various publishers.

Small Business Resource Center includes the complete text of dozens of handbooks, “—for Dummies” titles, and start-up books

Learning Express Library is a database of eBooks on test preparation, GED study guides, practice entrance exams to health occupations, math skills, reading skills, writing resumes, and more.

Access Science includes the 21 volume McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology

Whether it’s the history of popular culture, current social topics, foreign language dictionaries, or encyclopedias, we have it online in an eBook. (And, of course, we have thousands of journals and magazines in our databases, as well.)

While we always like seeing you in the library, please be sure to check out all of our online offerings from wherever you are.

Dinner and a Movie

2010-08-12T12:15:00.001-07:00

The next time that you are trying to decide what to do on a Friday night, try pairing a movie with dinner. You can explore another culture through a movie, and you'll get to learn about foreign cuisine by cooking an ethnic dish. The UCC library has many options for dvds and cookbooks to help you plan your evening. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

If the idea of French cuisine and film strikes your fancy, you could rent Amelie, An American in Paris, or Bonjour Tristesse. For dinner ideas, browse through "The Cooking of Provincial France" by M. F. K. Fisher for some savoury French recipes.

If Asian food sounds more appealing to you, you could watch The Blue Kite and check out "Simple Chinese Cooking" by Kylie Kwong or "The Chinese Kitchen" by Ken Hom. You could also try watching Lost in Translation and preparing a meal from Kimiko Barber's "Sushi" or John Belleme's "Japanese Foods that Heal."

If cooking Indian food is something that you would like to try, you could find plenty of ideas in "1,000 Indian Recipes" by Neelam Batra or "India's Vegetarian Cooking" by Monisha Bharadwaj. A film that could be paired with your Indian dinner would be Bombay Talkie, a great Bollywood film from 1970. If you're feeling like eating in a more serious setting, the inspirational Ghandi could be a more appropriate selection.

The classic film Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck is always a pleasant film to watch, especially when accompanied with a tasty dinner prepared from "Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome" by Apicius.

Other, perhaps more obvious, pairings could include the film Into the Wild with "Wilde rness Cookery" by Bradford Angier, Julie and Julia with "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, and Marie Antoinette with "The Cake Book" by Tish Boyle.

These are just a few ideas to help you get started. The shelves of the UCC library are full of materials to help you and your friends have a fun night in this weekend!

DIY (Do It Yourself) Ideas for Summer!

2010-07-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

The DIY (do it yourself) movement is a wonderful way to have fun and save money this summer.

Cooking dinner for friends, remodeling the house yourself, or growing your own vegetables are all great ways to be more environmentally conscious while developing new skills.

There are many resources available online and in the UCC Library to help you get started!

The site Readymade features an excellent on-line magazine full of ideas to use both in the house and the garden. Crafster.org also has many creative ways to stay busy around the house.

In the library, you will find many books to help you come up with some ideas around the kitchen and garden.

"Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades" by Steve Solomon is a great place to start for the aspiring gardener

Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer's "The Garden Vegan" and "How it all Vegan!" both provide many useful recipes and growing tips for the vegetable lover. For more ideas on what to do with your vegetables after they have harvested, browse through "Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It" by Karen Solomon or "Recipes from the Root Cellar" by Andrea Chesman.

"The Northwest Green Home Primer" by Kathleen O'Brien and Kathleen Smith is an excellent resource for do it yourself projects that are fun and help reduce utility bills.

Enjoy your summer in a healthy, pro-social way while improving your karma and going green! Don't forget to check out the music section of the library while you're at it, for some great music to relax in your new garden to.

The Wayback Machine and the Library Home Page

2010-06-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Internet Archive and their Wayback Machine it is possible to view, among other things, what the web used to look like. Here's the library website from 1996, back in the infancy of the World Wide Web:

It was just a year and a half earlier that the World Wide Web Consortium was founded by Tim Berners-Lee, the guy who invented the Web.

Back in 1996 most of our subscription databases were on CD-ROM:

Database searching via the Internet was just developing.

Two years later the library website design hadn't change all that much. We had added new databases and organized more links. By now our databases had all moved to the Web, except the Oregonian. It was still on funky CD-ROM. Here's the home page in December 1998:

Plug in a website address in the Wayback Machine search window and find an archive of a web page the way it used to be. Much of the UCC Library website "look" changed in 1999:

In 2001 it had a makeover along with the rest of the UCC website:

This design hung around until 2006. The list of databases grew longer and the list of links on the home page grew:

The whole college website had another makeover in 2007:

And again in 2010:

The Wayback Machine has no 2009 or 2010 archive for the library. Yet.

Congratulations Graduates!

2010-06-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

And congratulations to everyone else who survived finals week. This week (June 14-17) the library and campus switch to a 4 day week for most of the summer. The library is open 7:30 am to 5:30 pm for the week. When summer term begins on June 21st, the library will be open 7:30 am to 9 pm, Monday through Thursday.

Study-In and Spring late hours are here!

2010-05-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Join us on May 28th and June 4th for late hours, June 5th, 2010 for the Spring Study-In!

It's that time of year again, where we all put on our thinking caps and start studying for Finals! The UCC Library will be open 7:30 am - 6:00 pm on Friday, May 28th and June 4th.

We're also back this Spring for the ASUCC Study-In on June 5th from 11am-7pm! Come on in, grab a snack courtesy of your student government, and get help from faculty, tutors, and librarians as you study.

The library will be closed Saturday, May 29th and Monday, May 31st for the Memorial Day Holiday.

Good luck, and study hard!

A Virtual Film Treasure Box

2010-05-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

Where do rare films go besides DVD-- try online!

We all know about the classic films that are available in a million different formats and milieus-- Dracula, Metropolis, Gone with the Wind-- and even those that are so present they exist as remakes-- cinematic perennials that keep popping up year after year.

But what about those films that are so rare or little thought-of that they are not currently distributed by tape or DVD in the USA, like Luchino Visconti's Lo Straniero (1967) [at upper-right].

Well, how about YouTube?

Visconti was a well-known Italian director who produced a number of classic films, including The Leopard (Il Gattopardo, 1963) [available at the UCC library: DVD 791.43 L] . These classics are available on DVD, but in the past, some of the director's other works have fallen off the screen. The British Film Institute has this to say about Lo Straniero, one of these "lesser" works:

Lo straniero (The Stranger) (1967), Visconti's adaptation of Albert Camus's novel "L'Etranger", received mixed press on first release and has rarely been seen since.

But now we have other options! Online digital services, like YouTube, Hulu, and even digital streaming services like iTunes and Amazon Unbox, are making previously rare films as accessible as any US-based cinephile can hope (N.B. - most of these digital services work within the United States only):

On YouTube, where video length is limited to roughly 10 minutes or less, clever film fans have been linking public-domain foreign films in sequential clips, as this playlist does. Watch classic films from Africa, Japan, Italy, and more- most with subtitles and in languages other than English.
Hulu is a service that allows viewers to watch videos and (mainly) television episodes online for free. (The clips are ad-supported). The service includes digitization of a number of classic TV shows such as The Addams Family and I Spy.
Amazon Unbox and Apple's iTunes Store are two places where you can buy "copies" of films and television shows to watch digitally on your computer (or in some cases, your music player). These two stores have many of the same videos that are also available physically on DVD for a by-the-episode price.

The Criterion Collection, which publishes high-quality reprints of classic cinema, offers its own "online cinema," titled The Auteurs, which includes free digital screenings of rare films each month (requires signing up for a username).

And there you have it! Happy viewing!

WorldCat Local Quick Start is Here

2010-03-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

The UCC Library has signed up with WorldCat to provide you with a new way to search the library catalog. Check out the "Search the Catalog" page on the library website and you'll see a new search box for looking for books, CDs, and DVDs. When you search for an item, you'll be searching our local catalog and thousands of other library catalogs, including Douglas County Library System, at the same time. If UCC owns the item, it should be at the top of your result list. If you desperately need an item NOT in our local collection, let us know and we'll try to retrieve it from a library that owns it.

If you prefer, you can still use our local interface for searching the catalog. It has the benefit of simultaneously searching through the Douglas County Library System, too.

Fit Yourself

2010-02-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

Whether it is the approach of Spring beckoning you, the athletes of the Olympics inspiring you, or a vague guilt about a New Year's resolution depressing you, it's a good time to commit to SOME kind of exercise.

Browse the library shelves for fitness plans, yoga, and exercise regimens (613.7) or for tips on taking on a new sport or improving a current one (796).

If you'd prefer a DVD to guide you to physical fitness, check out pilates, tai-chi, or workout videos in DVD 613.71 and DVD 796.

What Did You Really Do for the Holidays and Why?

2009-12-30T09:47:00.001-08:00

Now that we've survived the end-of-the-year holidays and head into a new year and a new college term, what better time to reflect on customs, manners, food, drink, and celebration? The following social histories bring perspective to fundamental aspects of our lives which we usually take for granted.

What are good manners, anyway? How does our culture establish rules of civility in public life, business relations, and personal relationships? "A Short History of Rudeness :Manners, Morals and Misbehavior in Modern America" takes a look at how we get along--or don't.

Thinking about all the food you've eaten recently? "Much Depends on Dinner: The Extraordinary History and Mythology, Allure and Obsessions, Perils, and Taboos of an Ordinary Meal" isn't just for Culinary Arts students. Maybe you ate more than you should have over the holidays and you took all that food for granted. Learn its history, how it gets to our tables, and the business behind everyday foods like corn flakes, citrus fruits, and even canned olives, for example.

Barbara Ehrenreich takes a look at the social history of partying in "Dancing in the Streets". From cave paintings to rock concerts humans like to get together in the pursuit of collective joy, often through dance. Today it isn't happening so much and she examines what we're missing.

Explore the history of your holiday customs with "Celebrating the Family: Ethnicity, Consumer Culture, and Family Rituals". We didn't always celebrate holidays this way in America and our customs are continuing to change.

Tom Standage maintains that every epoch has had its signature beverage. Whether it's wine, beer, or Coca Cola there is plenty to learn both about the drink and the era which produced it and why.

Happening Saturday

2009-12-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

ASUCC (UCC's Student Government) hosted a "Study In", December 5, for UCC students to prepare for Finals Week--beginning on Monday.

Staff were there to organize and help.

Tutors were in attendance.

Faculty came to tutor, too.

Students showed up!

Pizza was served to keep the intellectual faculties fueled.

Saturday Study @ the Library!

2009-12-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

Duh Duh Duh! Finals are upon us, but if you need a place to brush up on those test notes or polish your final papers to a shine, you'll want to come to the UCC Library this Saturday!

ASUCC is sponsoring a Student Study-In at the Library from 11am -7pm on Dec. 5 (Sat.), with free snacks, beverages, and tutors provided! There will even be a few librarians hanging about if you need help with paper sources!

Keep in mind, the Library will also be open an extra hour on Fri. Dec. 4th (until 6pm) for those of you who want to get a little extra studying in before the weekend hits.

See you at the UCC Library!

The Library Is Open Late!

2009-11-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Need somewhere to study up for those upcoming finals? The UCC Library will be open 7:30 am - 6:00 pm Friday, Nov. 20th and Dec. 4th, so come on in and make the most of your time!

The library will be CLOSED Nov. 26-29 for the holiday.

photo by TonyVC, Flickr

Library Lab Has Re-emerged!!

2009-10-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

The library lab is back! 44 new computers are up and running in the library lab.

Laptops Available for Student Use in the Library

2009-10-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

The library has 16 laptops available for use inside the library by students. Students need a student ID with a Fall 09 sticker to check out a laptop.

Library Open, No Computer Lab

2009-09-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here's the view of the open seating area and library lab. Everything has been moved to make way for 12 posts and scaffolding, while ceiling repairs continue. Take a look. Over the last week various upgrades to the library's electrical system have required the library to close on short notice. The campus phone system has been periodically disabled while other campus repairs take place, so we can't always respond to your phone messages as soon as we wish we could.

UCC LIBRARY CLOSED THURSDAY, SEPT. 17

2009-09-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Repairs continue at the library. The building will be closed and without electricity on September 17. We expect to open again on Friday September 18, from 8 am to 4 pm. The computer lab, HelpDesk, and open study area will still be closed.

LIBRARY COMPUTER LAB IS CLOSED

2009-08-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

In preparation for significant repairs to the ceiling of the library the computer lab has been removed until further notice. The repair work is expected to take several weeks and may require closing the library building. Call 440-4640 for our daily hours to make sure we are open and able to offer the services you need.

UCC students with a student ID and Fall term sticker can check out a library laptop for use in the library. At this point we're all hoping for the work to be completed by the beginning of Fall term on September 28th.

Thank you!

The Musicians Behind the Music

2009-06-22T14:21:00.001-07:00

Check out some of the recently added titles to the music section (781. . . .) of the library. Ask the staff to point you in the right direction. Over the last few months we've added biographies about Etta James, the Carter Family, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Lester Young, Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, Jelly Roll Morton, Neil Young, Robert Johnson, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and Johnny Cash.

Congratulations Graduates!

2009-06-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

And have a great summer. . .

Can Magazines Change the World?

2009-05-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

It's too easy to overlook UCC's relatively tiny collection of print magazines. The low wooden stands in the middle of all the tables and hubbub are home to the current issues of 100+ titles -- current events magazines, peer-reviewed journals, and a handful
of "leisure reading" rags fill the rack. Also tucked in among these offerings are
a few publications designed to investigate the world we take for granted.

Mojo is focused on rock and roll; look for articles on the rock gods and godesses alongside introductions to new music and musicians, and how the music changes and stays the same. Orion examines our world where people and nature intersect. Ode aims itself at "intelligent optimists" and promotes ways to a healthier body, soul, and planet. Adbusters gets in your face to shock you into thinking about the downside of consumerism and the upside of a paradigm shift.

Even with a few thousand magazines and journals available through UCC library's online databases, sometimes it can be inspiring to pick up a paper magazine, particularly one designed to alter the way you look at the world.

We Have Winners!

2009-05-04T15:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out a library user survey over the last three weeks. We accumulated 147 surveys. Amy tabulted the results and compiled all of the helpful comments that were made. As you may recall, along with the survey we also offered students the chance to win a $25 UCC Bookstore gift certificate. Under the watchful eyes of three library staff members, UCC's own Patty Lamoureaux pulled 15 winners out of the box. Congratulations to all of you who picked up your gift certificate.

Thanks again to everyone who filled out a survey and entered the drawing.

N.pag., Medium, Italics: The New MLA and You!

2009-04-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

It happens every ten years or so, and for thousands, their lives are never the same. No, we’re not talking about solar eclipses, the national census, or even snow in June…it’s time for a new MLA!

Just like our favorite software or fashions, the Modern Language Association ‘s (MLA) citation style has updated to reflect new resources available, as well as changing trends in humanities writing. The very first MLA guide (only one page long!) was published in 1951. Today, the Modern Language Association’s Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is 290 pages long, and covers everything from articles (a, an, the) to Yahoo!

While much of the style is the same as the 6th edition you might be familiar with—yes, papers must still be written in 12-point font with 1 inch margins rather than 18- or 20-point, sorry term paper assignees—but there have been some significant changes as well, particularly with citations for electronic formats.

Here are the highlights:

Italics—Chaos! Rioting in the streets! Peanut butter and pineapple on the same sandwich! Both the APA (American Psychological Association) and the MLA have managed to agree on something—all book, magazine, newspaper, website, and database titles are now italicized, not underlined.

Web resources (databases and open websites)—Web addresses are no longer required for citations of online resources…unless they are. The language on this requirement is particularly squishy, so here’s the direct quote:

“In the past, this handbook recommended including URLs of Web sources in works-cited-list entries. Inclusion of URLs has proved to have limited value, however… You should include a URL as supplementary information only when the reader probably cannot locate the source without it or when your instructor requires it” (182).

N.pag.—While this looks like it might be some trendy slang, it is actually the new abbreviation for citing items with no page numbers.

Medium—Is that source you’re citing a dead tree (paper) publication, or dependant on the will of the internet connection? Now all citations are to have a marker at the end indicating their publishing medium. The two big ones are “Print” and “Web” respectively.

Fuzzy Kitten Clause—all creators of Works Cited lists are required to spend at least 5 minutes immediately after completing their citations cuddling the cutest, fuzziest kitten they can find. If you are allergic to cats, the Handbook points out that hypo-allergenic pets make a good substitute, but iguanas are not really acceptable. Completing this task will help dispel the majority of the irritation caused by following the rest of the new style requirements. (Happy April Fool’s!)

And there you have it! If you have questions about citing a source, the librarians are here to help— feel free to drop in with any questions! For more details, check out our new handouts for the MLA style, or grab a copy of the 7th edition handbook at the UCC Library!

Nooks and crannies of the library collection #2

2009-03-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

It's hard NOT to judge a book by its cover, when the cover of the book includes a title that's hard to forget. These four books about unusual ways of thinking about history, specifically European history, may tickle your fancy as you stroll through some of the more remote parts of the library collection.

No matter what you think of your own neighbors and neighborhood, you surely would be grateful to avoid what the folks of pre-industrial England (1600-1770) endured: small pox, rotting refuse in the streets, roaming pigs and dogs, carcasses in ditches, moldy food, poor air quality. . .not to mention the noise. With chapters about "Ugly", "Itchy", "Grotty", and "Gloomy" and accompanying illustrations Hubbub is an enlightening survey of English city life that will surely leave you feeling better about the 21st century.

This next item may not be safe for work, it is filled with so much filth. The filth of Shakespeare's London. But this is filth of a different sort. . .One glance at the chapter titles and you'll know whether or not this is something you want to explore and whether or not you want to know just how incredibly naughty Shakespeare plays really are. If you dare to know what sexual escapades Desdemona and Iago--or all sorts of other Shakespeare characters--are really discussing, take a peek at the pages of
Filthy Shakespeare. The author, Pauline Kiernan, holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford, where she taught for many years. She's sure to make you blush.

And you'll just keep on blushing right on into the next century in City of Laughter : Sex and Satire in Eighteenth-Century London. From the very first pages you'll be reading about "Lady Worsley's Bottom", a divorce trial, salacious color prints sold for a shilling, and a romp through a colorful history of "sex, bodies, and scandal". The author explains, "this is a book about the stories, jokes, and satirical exposures that later Georgian English people found funny. . .It focuses, not on the polished wit upon which the politer people prided themselves, but on their malicious, sardonic, and satirical humour: a peculiarly English humour if you like. . ." Perhaps this could lead to the historcial underpinnings of Monty Python's Flying Circus?

And now for something completely different. Or maybe not. Amy Butler Greenfield's A Perfect Red : Empire, Espionage, and the Quest for the Color of Desire begins with the discovery by Spanish conquistadores of an extraordinary RED in the great marketplaces of Mexico in 1519. Butler, whose own grandfather and great-grandfather were dyers, then traces the history, influence, meaning, politics, and pirates of cochineal, "the legendary red dye that was once one of the world's most precious commodities."

1498 People in the UCC Library

2009-02-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

On February 18th, June Davies from UCC Community Relations, walked into the library with a camera just in time to take a few pictures to capture the moment.

If you were the Webster's Unabridged Dictionary in our reference collection (and you were a book with eyeballs), here's what you would have seen:

Meanwhile, the view from the hand-crank pencil sharpener looked like this:

The wireless printer saw it this way--

Whether from the shelves amongst the literary criticism

or over by the computer lab . . .

. . .things were hopping.

(1498 people passsed through the library doors that day according to the gate counter.)

Nooks and crannies of the library collection #1

2009-02-05T16:19:00.000-08:00

Climate change, global economic meltdown, corrupt politicians, wars. . .If the news about contemporary civilization has you down, how about investigating some highly evolved civilizations of the past?

The UCC Library has recently added some new titles about old places and peoples. Did you know that the Irish neolithic tomb, Newgrange, is older than the Great Pyramid of Giza? It was originally built around 3,000 B.C. As the sun rises on the winter solstice, a beam of sunlight pierces the dark passageway of Newgrange and lights up the inner chamber. Although currently residing in our "New Books" section, these two books will soon move to 936.15 in the back of the library.

Around a thousand years later the mysterious Stonehenge was completed. Who built it and at what effort? Archaeologist Anthony Johnson reexamines 250 years of fieldwork and speculation of this prehistoric site, explains the geometry, and lays out the rationale for this monumental landmark in his book "Solving Stonehenge".

"Stonehenge Complete" is a third edition of a classic. Even though 20,000 visitors gather at midsummer dawn, as this new edition explains, "they are in error: although Stonehenge is indeed astronomically oriented, it is not aligned on the midsummer sunrise at all." Our Stonehenge books hang out near Newgrange. Look for them in the stacks at 936.2.

Finally, take a look nearby (932 W) at "Genesis of the Pharaohs: Dramatic New Discoveries Rewrite the Origins of Ancient Egypt". Archaeologist Toby Wilkinson argues that ancient Egyptians were semi-nomadic herders and not settled farmers. The book has dozens of illustrations, including 25 in color.

Personal Finances, the New Year, and You

2009-01-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

Are you one of the many who's New Year's resolution involves keeping better track of your finances? If so, or if you just like money in general, you might find these links from Library Journal of the best personal finance education and assistance websites and books useful!

Thrift for Tough Times: personal finances (LJ Jan. 2009)

Some of the Best Lists of the Best Books of 2008

2008-12-30T13:44:00.001-08:00

Publishers Weekly book review staff put together their PW's Best Books of the Year and include Fiction, Poetry, Mysteries, SF/Fantasy/Horror, Comics, Non-fiction, Religion, Children's Picture Books, Children's Fiction, and more.

National Public Radio assembled several lists for their "recommended reading for the 2008 Holidays" and the critics there are recommending all sorts of stuff: Five Books to Give Yourself This Year, Best Superhero Graphic Novels, Booksellers' Picks For Your Holiday Lists, Top Five Crime and Mystery Novels of 2008, 10 Best Cookbooks, and more.

Amazon goes all out with their usual Top 100 Editor's Picks, Customer Favorites, and Featured Categories Top Ten Lists.

The New York Times settles for a tidy 10 Best Books of 2008 and includes links to lists of years past.

How about the Pick of the Pile from The Economist? Their list covers 2008 titles about history, current affairs, politics, economics, business, biography, and even fiction.

The Seattle Times recommends Our Picks for the Best Books of 2008 and an editor from The Oregonian put together a list of the Top 10 Northwest Books of 2008.

Surely there's something here to make you feel guilty about not reading enough last year?

2008's Top Album Lists Galore

2008-12-30T12:22:00.000-08:00

The 50 Best Albums of 2008 -- Rolling Stone Magazine. TV on the Radio's Dear Science makes it to their top.

Mojo Magazine Top 50 Albums of 2008 Fleet Foxes (band name and album title) is their #1.

The 40 Best Albums of 2008 -- Spin Magazine comes up with a list of ten less and names (again) Dear Science as #1.

Pitchfork Presents -- The 50 Best Albums of 2008 Another win for Fleet Foxes at #1.

The Best Albums of 2008 -- from the editors of eMusic. They name 88 albums and The '59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem tops their list.

NPR listeners voted for their top 25. . .and the winner is Fleet Foxes.

Amazon puts together a top 100 for Best Music of 2008 with The Kings of Leon's Only By The Night as #1. Amazon also has top 10 and 100 lists for many specific genre's of music.

50 Albums of the Year named by the Guardian/The Observer in the United Kingdom. Their #1? For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver.

Sigur Ros, Blitzen Trapper, Portishead, Brian Eno/David Byrne, Bob Dylan, MGMT, and Vampire Weekend show up in most of the lists. So how do the critics' choices match up to your favorites?

New @ the library: films from the world for your long weekend

2008-11-25T11:49:00.000-08:00

Did you enjoy the cultural diversity conference on campus this fall? Looking for something different to watch beyond "Miracle on 34th Street" this year, post-turkey? We've just received a fantastic selection of new DVDs at the UCC Library that let you bring a world of cinema into your own living room.

All of the films below are available to checkout: see our catalog for more details.

Eat Drink Man Woman (China)

This film, directed by Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Sense and Sensibility) focuses on Chu, a master chef who tries to win over his three selfish and self-absorbed daughters through his cooking. When that goes up in flames, he tries a more dramatic approach- with results.

Blackboards (Iran), Osama (Afghanistan), Zaman (Iraq)

Osama and Zaman are both the first films released to a wider world audience after the dramatic conflicts the countries faced (and continue to stuggle with). All three are about journeys:

In Zaman, a village man travels upriver to Baghdad to find a cure for his wife.

In Osama, a young girl disguises herself as a boy to safely travel through Afghanistan after women are confined to their homes.

In Blackboards, dedicated teachers travel the length and breadth of Iranian Khurdistan, carrying their blackboards on their backs which serve as tool, professional symbol, and sometimes, shelter from gunfire.

The Host (Korea), Infernal Affairs (Hong Kong)

Or maybe you'd like something a little more shlocky? The Host is one of, well, a host of Asian horror movies, critically acclaimed for its underwater environmental sensibilities as well as its many thrills.

Infernal Affairs stars Tony Leung (Hero) in a tense police procedural, and may be best-known as the movie that directly inspired Scorese's The Departed.

Cinema from your Computer: The Criterion Collection's film festivals

Last, but certainly not least, if you think NetFlix's online "Watch it Now!" feature is the greatest thing since turkey-and-cranberry sandwiches, the new Criterion website is for you! Every month, the label plans to "host" a new online film festival with high-quality streaming video available online. This is only one of a plethora of features they are rolling out, so if you're a classic cinemaphile, make sure to check them out.