UCC LIBRARY CLOSED THURSDAY, SEPT. 17

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

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

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!

And have a great summer. . .

Can Magazines Change the World?

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!

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!

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!