Monthly Archives: September 2015

Banned Books Week… and why it matters

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Every year, the American Library Association, libraries, bookstores, and other groups and places “celebrate” Banned Books Week the last week in September.  While people may object to books based on topic or personal taste, Banned Books Week at its core is about celebrating and promoting the right to read and discouraging blanket censorship of literature based on its subject-matter or presentation.

To check out some books that are frequently challenged and why, see the library displays in the Main and Orange County Campus Libraries.  If you want, check out a challenged book.  Judge for yourself.

Check Out Mars

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Today, NASA announced that they’ve found proof of liquid saltwater on Mars. It’s an announcement that makes one day finding living microbes on the surface more likely than ever before. With the movie adaptation of The Martian by Andy Weir coming out soon it seems like a good time check out what science has to say about the red planet, and through fiction discover what our preoccupation with the red planet says about us.

All of the books below are available to check out of the library. This list includes both new and classic science fiction, as well as a guide to all the questions a person might have about space travel.

The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive–and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old ‘human error’ are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills–and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit–he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him? Now a major motion picture!

Continue Reading →

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

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Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.  National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the contributions made by Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrates Hispanic heritage and culture.

Hispanic Heritage Month graphic image of colorful dresses

image from www.mhwest.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some recommended titles available in the library:

Latino Stats: American Hispanics by the Numbers   E 184 .S75 M363 2015Latino Stats bookcover

 

 

 

 

Latin American & Caribbean Art : MoMA at El Museo   N 6502.5 .L37 2004

Latin American and Carribean Art book cover

 

 

 

 

The Book of Unknown Americans   PS 3608 .E595 B66 2014

Book of Unknown Americans book cover

 

 

 

 

Pinholes in the Night : Essential Poems from Latin America  PQ 7087 .E5 P56 2014

Pinholes in the Night book cover

 

 

 

 

Translation Nation: Defining a New American Identity in the Spanish-Speaking United States  E 184 .S75 T63 2005

Translation Nation book cover

 

 

 

 

The library is also featuring a display window in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.  All of the materials are available for loan.

 

For more information about National Hispanic Heritage Month visit: http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/index.html

 

 

 

Introducing the Library’s Book Club

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The Library is excited to announce our student, faculty, and staff book club! We will have our first meeting on Monday, Oct. 19th at 3pm in the ERC Schwartz conference room.

The first book selection is I Am Malala by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. The library has several copies of the book available for borrowing and you can ask for a copy at the desk.  I Am Malala book cover

 

Here is a description of the book from the GoodReads website:

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive. Instead, Malala’s miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate. I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls’ education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons. I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person’s voice to inspire change in the world.

For more information about the book club, please visit:
http://durhamtech.libguides.com/bookclub

 

Durham-Orange Light Rail Project Resources

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D-O-LRT-Project-Map_2014-11-17-e1416255530265The main campus library of Durham Tech has a copy of the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)–book and DVD–at the circulation desk and it is available for use within the library.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting comments during a 45-day period, which ends on October 13, 2015. GoTriangle will hold public information sessions regarding the DEIS: on Tuesday, September 15, 2015, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill and on Saturday, September 19, 2015, from 2 – 5 p.m. at the Durham Station Transportation Center (515 W. Pettigrew St, Durham, NC 27701).

For detailed information about the project:

 

Verily and such…and Luke and Leia.

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In the library, we like books and movies. Some of us also like cheesy internet promotions that combine Shakespeare and Star Wars.

For a minute or two of fun, check out the Star Wars Sonnet Generator.

Have at-eth it!

(Now that you know-eth of these tomes, do you need-eth a copy?  Ask or email the library about interlibrary loan, and we can get you a copy to check out.  Forsooth!)