Library Groundbreaking

The Library at the City Park campus will soon have its own building.  There will be a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday December 12^th at 2pm.  The new Library will be called the Marvin E. Thames Sr. Learning Resource Center.  Marvin E. Thames Sr. was the first president of Delgado Community College. 

The new building will be built on the site where the original Delgado Moss Memorial library stood. The Moss Memorial Library had its groundbreaking ceremony 50 years ago in 1963. The Library was named after Ellenora Moss a close friend of the college’s namesake Isaac Delgado.  Ms Moss provided a $150,000 dollar donation in her will so that Delgado could build its first library. Due to Ms. Moss’ generosity and funding from other sources the Moss Memorial Library was completed in 1965.  Unfortunately the Moss Memorial Library was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

Since the original library building was destroyed the library has set up shop in building 10.  About 22,000 print volumes are housed in building 10.  Currently the rest of the 150,000 print volumes are housed in storage at an off-campus site.

The new Learning Resource center will be a welcomed and much needed addition to the City park campus.  

Spotlight on....Holiday Health and Wellness

The holiday season can be equally stressful as it is joyful. This libguide provides information and helpful links that will, hopefully, help you reduce your stress and anxiety during your holidays.

 http://dcc.libguides.com/holidayhealth

New Equipment at the Jefferson Library

The library at the Jefferson Campus has received three pieces of equipment.  The first new addition to the Library is a PHIL (Payment Headquarters in Location). The PHIL is a device that allows students to put money on their ID cards for printing and making copies. The PHIL Station at the Jefferson campus takes only credit or debit cards. A cash deposit is not an option at this location. 

The second piece of equipment is a copy machine.  The copy machine will be ready for the students to use soon, hopefully by the end of the semester.  Currently the machine is waiting on the arrival of a part that needs to be placed on the machine’s card reader.

The final piece of equipment is a bulletin board, while decidedly low- tech it is still effective.  The bulletin board will have a different display every month highlighting the different programs available at the Jefferson campus.

This month’s bulletin board features the Vet Tech program. For more information, visit the Vet Tech Program's website and our Veterinary Medicine research guide:  

New Orleans Culture: City Park

Come to Moss Memorial, City Park Campus and Learn about New Orleans' culture. 

New Orleans is famous for it's music and culture. The city's historic blend of French, Spanish, African, Caribbean and Native American cultures created the perfect place for the creation of Jazz, Zydeco, Cajun Music and Delta Blues. You can read all about exciting New Orleans traditions by visiting our city park location and searching the following titles and others. Ask a librarian to help you explore New Orleans's history! 

The house of dance and feathers: a museum

Author: Lewis, Ronald W.

Call Number: 306.1074 L67h

Mardi gras, gumbo and zydeco: readings in Louisiana culture

Author: Gaudet, Marcia G.

Call Number: 306.09763 M32

Title

Author

Jazz religion, the second line, and black New Orleans

Author: Richard Brent Turner
Call Number: 305.896073 T95j

Accordions, fiddles, two-step and swing: a Cajun music reader
Author: Ryan A. Brasseaux and Kevin S. Fontenot
Call Number: 781.6241 A17

Spotlight on Early Childhood Education

During November, our display boards will focus on Delgado’s Early Childhood Education program. In conjunction, we’ve created an ECE libguide to allow you to see what helpful resources are available. It has links to books, ebooks, databases, and websites to help you in the classroom, whether you’re the student or the teacher.

• Spotlight on… Early Childhood Education

Be sure to stop by the library to see our displays! Especially our Dr. Suess display!






and our Juvenile Collection display.

Spotlight on...

A new school year is underway and we welcome new and old faces alike. For the first library display of the semester, we are putting the spotlight on nursing at Delgado Community College.

Hallway Display

Hallway Display - Left side

Hallway Display - Right side

The left-hand side of the hallway display features information on Delgado's registered nursing and practical nursing programs. The right-hand side lists resources available to nursing students through Delgado's libraries. These resources include online databases, periodicals, books, eBooks, and much more.

Table Display

The table display inside the library gives information regarding Delgado's Charity School of Nursing. 

New Orleans Narratives

prepared by Jude Morrissey

Everyone knows New Orleans is a fascinating city - including authors! New Orleans serves as the setting for several novels in every genre available. Now that finals are over and you have a break from classes, why not pick up a New Orleans Narrative and relax with a good book? Here are a few from our collection to get you started:

The Neon Rain by James L. Burke
Babylon Rolling by Amanda Boyden
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
The Client by John Grisham
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Twelve Bar Blues by Patrick Neate
Finishing Skills by Sarah K. Inman
N: A Romantic Mystery by Louis Edwards
Voodoo Dreams by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Come take a look at our New Orleans Narratives hall display at the City Park campus to learn more about each of the books, and stop by the library to pick up one of them or any of the other great novels we have available!

 

Of course, these are only a few of the novels we have that take place in New Orleans. You can check the catalog for many, many more. Enjoy your break - we'll see you soon!

The Toil of May

prepared by Jude Morrissey

The Glass Case Display features Steinbeck

For our monthly display, we are featuring "The Toil of May." Labor in the U.S. used to be highly deregulated and workers had few, if any, rights. The climb up to eight hour work days, labor unions, workers' rights advocacy, safety regulation of workplaces, and government aid for the unemployed has been a long and complicated one. This month, we have two displays to explore times when labor demonstrations and discussions regarding working hours and conditions were particularly controversial.

The glass case display at the City Park campus highlights the work of John Steinbeck, particularly the 1940 Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Grapes of Wrath - a work that has often been challenged or banned across the country. Set during the Great Depression, it traces the Joad family, tenant farmers who are forced to abandon their home in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl and set out for California, hoping to find a new life. The story discusses the poverty and prejudice many workers fleeing the great drought encountered as they moved west.

The hall display takes a look at the Haymarket Riot of 1886, when a peaceful labor demonstration in Chicago, supporting eight hour working days, erupted in violence. Some were killed, and many were wounded. Eight anarchists were found guilty of the bombing, although there remains a great deal of controversy over whether or not they were actually involved. In our display, you can see arguments on both sides of the issue, courtesy of Opposing Viewpoints.

The Hall Display features the Haymarket Riot

Come take a look at our displays! You can also learn more by checking out our research guide, "The Toil of May."

Social Media Netiquette

prepared by Jude Morrissey

DCC Libraries are active on several social media networks!

Social media serves a wonderful purpose - providing virtual social interaction for people all across the world. With social media, you can keep in touch with friends and family, connect with others who share your interests and hobbies, and network with colleagues in your career field.  It is important to keep in mind, however, that interaction through social media is not private - the social media "area" is very much a public place, just like grocery stores, libraries, schools, or workplaces. You might be sitting at home in your pajamas, but you've entered an online room full of people. And just like other public places, there are rules that help us get along with each other.

Some generally applicable social media netiquette rules.

1. Comments follow you. Remember, anything you post online is pretty much there forever! Even if you erase it, chances are good that someone, somewhere has a copy of it. And what you post can and does affect your life - employers, for instance, will often check out what prospective or current employees have posted on Facebook, Twitter, etc., and make hiring - and firing - decisions based on what they find.
2. Pay attention to the purpose. Many people will have separate business and personal social media accounts. If so, you want to be sure you don't mix them up! Don't post personal information or statements on your business account. It is important that people know when you do or don't speak for your employer officially.
3. Beware overshare - TMI (Too Much Information). There are some things that are best kept to yourself. Few people care about what you eat for every meal, and fewer want to know what happened when you went to the bathroom! If you have a medical question, talk to a doctor - don't broadcast symptoms over Twitter. Remember, social media is a public place - if you wouldn't announce it over the intercom at the public library, don't post it online.
4. Beware overshare - Deluge. You also don't want to post every thought you have! If you're posting every five minutes, you're probably posting too much. Think about what you really want to say, and don't just post everything that comes to mind. 
5. Not everything is personal. Don't assume someone is talking about you when they post something negative. Don't feel that someone's political or social stance is an attack on your morals or beliefs, either. Just because others may disagree with you doesn't mean they think you are a bad person. Don't take it personally.
6. Ignoring is better than engaging. Even when someone calls you out specifically, or when others state that holding certain (political, social, religious, etc.) beliefs means you're a bad person, it's still not a good idea to respond to them. It doesn't really accomplish anything. It's like having a fight in a grocery store parking lot - ugly and pointless. While civil conversations can and do happen in a peaceful and productive manner, there are also "flame wars" that end up solving nothing and causing hurt feelings, bitterness, and broken relationships. It's better to just walk away.
7. Watch your tone. You don't want to write anything rude, offensive, or hateful - even by accident. Remember that sarcasm doesn't always come across in written communication. Also keep in mind that too many abbreviations, misspelled words, grammar errors, or emoticons make you look very young or very silly - or both. Don't type in all capital letters - unless you really are "yelling" about something! Always be honest and respectful.
8.  No call-outs. Gossip isn't good. Don't write hateful or inappropriate messages to or about others. Even if you don't mention them by name, it's rude and nonproductive. If you have a problem with someone else, the best rule is still to talk to them privately - either face-to-face or by email or private messaging.  
9. Think before tagging. Before you put a friend or family member's name on any picture or post, make sure it's not something they'd rather not have broadcast in public. Ask permission, if possible, before posting pictures with names attached, especially of children. 
10. Golden Rule still applies. "Do unto others as you would have them do to you..." If you want others to respect your privacy, to be careful about what they say or post about you, then you need to show them the same kind of respect! 
11. Don't demand reciprocation. The Pope, for instance, can't be everyone's friend! You can find and friend or follow lots of people you are interested in - but don't expect that they'll friend or follow you back. Even close friends or family members may not - it might be that they only use an account for business, and would rather stay in touch with you through more traditional means (by phone or mail, for example). 
12. Protect your privacy. Privacy is important. Protecting your privacy doesn't mean you have anything to hide - it just means you don't want your personal information available for everyone to see. If you use a public computer, such as the library computers, make sure you log off before you leave. Don't share your log in information with anyone, and don't make other contact information (phone number, mailing address, etc.) visible to the public. Be careful what you "like" - it might be posted where everyone can see it. 

Social media networks are great tools for joining in on a world-wide conversation! But, like all public spaces, we need to "play nice."

Remember, too, that Delgado Libraries are active on several social media networks, including Facebook and Twitter. Friend or follow us today! 

Extended Hours for Finals

prepared by Jude Morrissey

Ana does some studying

Are you ready for finals? Do you have all your end-of-semester papers and projects done? If not, the library is ready to help!

We offer several services for students wrapping up the semester. You can use the computers, find a quiet study space, get research assistance from the reference librarians, or use one of the study rooms for a group finals study session.

We're also extending the hours our libraries are open, so that you can have a little extra time to make use of our resources to prepare for finals and finish up projects! The change in schedule will be: 

City Park:  

• Tuesday, May 7 – Thursday, May 9, 2013, 8:00am – 9:00pm
• Friday, May 10, 2013, 8:00am – 4:30pm
• Monday, May 13 – Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 8:00am – 9:00pm

 

West Bank:  

• Tuesday, May 7 – Thursday, May 9, 2013, 8:00am – 9:00pm
• Friday, May 10, 2013, 8:00am – 4:30pm
• Monday, May 13 – Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 8:00am – 9:00pm

 

Slidell:  

• Tuesday, May 7 – Thursday, May 9, 2013, 8:00am – 8:00pm
• Monday, May 13 – Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 8:00am – 8:00pm  

 

Covington:  

• Tuesday, May 7 – Thursday, May 9, 2013, 8:00am – 9:00pm 
• Monday, May 13 – Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 8:00am – 9:00pm  

We'll see you in the library - and good luck with finals! 

 

Communities Matter @ West Bank Campus!

prepared by Jude Morrissey

Get to know your West Bank librarians!

"Communities Matter @ Your Library" is the theme for this year's National Library Week, and the West Bank campus library has been busy showcasing its community! The library community doesn't just include librarians and library staff, of course.We are here to serve the larger community - Delgado Community College students, faculty, and staff. The West Bank library provided supplies to emphasize this point, encouraging everyone to decorate their own hand cut-outs in order to show how they fit into the DCC community.

Supplies!

The hands displays - starring Delgado students, faculty, and staff  as the heart of the library community - are on display at the West Bank library. Come take a look!













You can also learn more about DCC Libraries' celebration of National Library Week from our "Communities Matter @ Your Library" LibGuide and our earlier blog post.

Communities Matter @ Your Library!

Prepared by Jude Morrissey

Communities Matter @ DCC Libraries

April is an exciting month for the Delgado Community College Libraries. April 14-20 is National Library Week. The theme this year is "Communities Matter," and we agree! We have three displays available on the City Park campus. Each focuses on ways the DCC Libraries support the Delgado community. You can learn more about each of the librarians on campus, as well as see how the library supports your studies throughout the school's various academic divisions.

Get to Know Your Librarians

The Interests of One Reference Librarian

We also take a look at one particular way libraries support local communities - by fighting for the reader's right to read! At DCC Libraries, we have several books in our collection that are found on the American Library Association's most challenged or banned books lists for the last several years. Our display takes a look at some of these books, including short summaries of the stories. We hope you'll take a look and check one out!

Libraries Protect Your Right to Read

April is also National Poetry Month, and the City Park campus has a some copies of the April 2013 Poetry magazine, published by the Poetry Foundation, that we will be giving away to a few lucky students.

DCC Libraries Celebrate National Poetry Month

You can also check out our "Communities Matter @ Your Library" LibGuide - learn more about how libraries serve their communities, and see what we can offer you!

The In's and Out's of March!

 
















prepared by Cynthia Dubois and Jude Morrissey
 
This month's library displays are celebrating some famous In's and Out's of March!

The 'March In...' hall display lists several important individuals who were born in March, including Shaquille O'Neil and Albert Einstein. The 'March Out...' hall display notes the March deaths of other individuals, such as M.C. Escher and Julius Caesar.

Another famous, although fictional, March character is the center of attention for another display - Alice in Wonderland's March Hare! In addition, you can see other novels featuring animals.

If you're interested in learning more about famous March personalities, as well as information about Alice in Wonderland, we have a great libguide for you!

Computer Basics Classes

prepared by Regina Gillam

Do you need to brush up on your computer skills or are they non-existent?  If either is the case, you should come to the free computer basics classes at the library.  

The Delgado Community College Library and the Adult Education (GED) Program are hosting FREE Basic Computer Classes.  The seminars are presented every Friday from 1- 3 in the library classroom.  The library classroom is located in building 10, room 134.  

The next class will be held on February 22^nd and will focus on learning about email.  Each class covers a different topic.  

 
 Topics that have been covered in previous seminars include: “keyboarding and computer terminology,” “Working with Windows” and “Microsoft office”.  All classes are two hours long.  The first hour of the class consists of instruction on the selected topic.  The second hour of the class is the hands-on portion where students get to practice what they've learned. The classes are on a first-come, first-served basis and pre-registration is not required.

The more things change, the more they stay the same - as evidenced by the fact that 27 years ago Delgado was providing computer-literacy education, just as we are now.

 

Fall in Love...With a Good Book!

Prepared by Jude Morrissey

The Black Brunswicker by John Everett Millais

 With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we recommend reading a book on Romance! Our Popular Reading Collection includes several books to choose from. Some are traditional "damsel in distress meets sexy hero" romance novels while others are fiction from other genres where romance plays a significant role. Still others are non-fiction accounts of people looking for true love. 



Here's a list of likely titles:
 

• Sweet Tooth: A Novel by Ian McEwan
• The Address Book by Sophie Calle 
• The Night Circus: A Novel by Erin Morgenstern
• Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews
• If I Can't Have You by Mary B. Morrison
• This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz
  
• Lady Elect by Nikita Lynnette Nichols
• Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Flaw Less by Shana Johnson Burton
• The Inn at Rose Harbor: A Novel by Debbie Macomber
• The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan  

You can find descriptions of each of these books in one of the City Park hall displays. 

City Park Hall Display

Of course, if Romance is not your thing, there are many other genres to choose from in the collection. If you'd like some help finding a good book to read in your spare time, just Ask A Librarian!