MJLibrary Blog

Folk Music in the Library

2011-09-23T10:29:00.002-05:00

Adam Miller, folk singer and story teller, performed Thursday night in the main reading room of Mildred Johnson Library. A crowd of college and community people smiled and tapped their feet through the performance, which featured history, folk songs, and related stories. It was not a sing along, although most people did hum along on some of their favorites. However, there were many new and lesser known music that was equally fascinating.

This was the Library's contribution to Homecoming 2011.

http://www.folksinging.org

New rules on Copyright

2010-07-27T10:26:00.003-05:00

Librarian of congress announces DMCA 1201 Rules for Exemptions regarding circumvention of Access control technologies.

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-169.html

Here is the whole web site from the Library of Congress

http://www.copyright.gov/1201

Summer Session Hours

2010-07-09T13:02:00.001-05:00

During Summer Sessions, the Library is open for college business hours:

Monday - Thursday: 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Friday: 7:45 a/m/ to 3:00 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Saturday Hours at the Library

2010-05-04T14:24:00.001-05:00

Final Exam week is coming up for NDSCS, and we will be open from 1:00 - 5:00 on Saturday May 8. Stop in to complete your projects and study for those upcoming finals.

It's National Library Week

2010-04-12T11:06:00.003-05:00

Every year, libraries join in National Library Week to celebrate our work and our belief in the importance of libraries to their local community, public, academic, or any other sort of library community. At MJ Library we are noting our connection to the LIFE values of North Dakota State College of Science, our home institution. Today the value is LEARNING. We believe that libraries, in many new changing forms, will always be a part of the collegiate experience.

Join us also to "Guess the Staff" - which favorite book belongs with each staff member.

85 reasons to love librarians

2010-01-11T12:51:00.001-06:00

Don't take my word for it - see what this blogger has to say!

http://www.zencollegelife.com/2009/12/29/85-reasons-to-be-thankful-for-librarians/

ENG 292 now ENG 278

2009-12-29T10:33:00.002-06:00

Are you interested in the Alternative Literature course? It has received final approval status and is now listed as ENG 278 for registration. We need a couple more students to sign up for the class to take place. Think of the fun of reading and discussing the kinds of books you like to read for your own, and getting a chance to learn about some areas of literature that are not mainstream literary works! Deb Dusek and Karen Chobot will lead the class into discoveries about new books and genres. We think you'll love it!

ENGL 292: Alternative Literature

2009-10-30T11:39:00.002-05:00

Announcing a NEW literature course, a humanities elective, for Spring Semester 2010. Deborah Dusek and Karen Chobot will be teaching a class that centers on literature that falls outside the established, mainstream literature. We'll look at genres such as Detective Fiction, Science Fiction, regional literature, graphic novels of many forms, and others. We'll examine short stories, plays, poems, non-fiction and others. And there will be some interesting projects for groups and individuals.

The class meets Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 - 9:50 am.

Censorship, Intellectual Freedom, and Fahrenheit 451

2009-10-02T15:26:00.003-05:00

The book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is more than science fiction. It is a comment on how Bradbury sees possibilities in the future. He says, "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."

This issue will be discussed at a forum in the Fireside Lounge at the MSCTC campus in Fergus Falls, 7:30 pm on Tuesday, Oct. 6. It is an event of The NEA Big Read and Fergus Reads, that the Mildred Johnson Library is participating with.

Join a panel of experts who discuss the issues presented in the book, join in the discussion or just listen. There will be a drawing for free books and refreshments.

The September Project

2009-09-16T10:57:00.004-05:00

In 2005, two librarians, David Silver and Sarah Washburn, established The September Project for libraries across the country to commemorate the events of September 11 by celebrating and exploring the thems of democracy, citizenship, and patriotism. Around the world, libraries have been joining the project every year with a variety of September events that highlight the library's place in their community.

Mildred Johnson Library has participated in this every year by focusing on the First Amendment to the US Constitution and setting up events and displays that discuss censorship and the citizen's place in a democracy. We focus on Constitution Day, September 17, and Banned Books Week, the last week in September. The past two years we have enjoyed visits from the Traces Museum bus and its exhibits about prisoners of war, as well. This year we will be participating with the Twin Towns One Book Project in The Big Read.

You can see what other communities are doing at

http://www.theseptemberproject.org/

Labor Day weekend

2009-09-04T15:19:00.003-05:00

Just to remind you that we are closed on Holiday weekends. We'll be open again as usual, Tuesday morning at 7:30.

Also, there will be some systems work on Sunday morning so the library systems may not be available. Try again after 1:00 pm.

Theodore Roosevelt - Family Man in the Arena

2009-09-03T13:53:00.002-05:00

Dickinson State University presents several programs about Theodore Roosevelt on Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16, with a field trip to the site of the Elkhorn Ranch on Sat. Oct. 17. Scholars Kathleen Dalton, Stacy Cordery, Betty Boyd Caroli and Clay Jenkinson will be presenting at the symposium.

This symposium will carefully examine the adventure and challenge of family life among the Roosevelts. Unlike most presidents, this Roosevelt did not shelter his family from the American public. For more info visit http://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.com or call 1-866-496-8797.

New Library Staff

2009-08-19T16:21:00.002-05:00

With the new academic year, the library has been able to add 2 new part-time staff members. Georgia Vosberg has joined as a Library Clerk. She will be working mornings, handling customer service and projects that will help the student find the right material and the right time. Georgia has previously worked in other departments at NDSCS.

Marylin Vertin joins the library through the auspices of Experience Works. She will be working part-time in the mornings, mostly handling materials processing and ordering. This is the behind the scenes work that makes the books and materials available for student and staff use.

Several new work study students will also begin working afternoons and evenings, supporting the work of the regular staff and keeping the library open into the evening. We are happy to welcome the new workers, both students and staff, and look forward to a productive year.

Fritz Scholder Collection

2009-06-30T12:56:00.002-05:00

The NDSCS Alumni/Foundation has recently loaned 5 selections of art by the Native American artist Fritz Scholder to the Mildred Johnson Library. This showing is an effort to bring Scholder's art to more students on campus and create awareness of his heritage and works. His art is still shown throughout the world. Most recently is a featured exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian, documented at http://www.nmai.si.edu

In the process of being rehung, the works can be seen on the second floor of the Library along with a case of artifacts from Scholder's art and books owned by the Library on his extensive body of material. Take a minute to see what is in the Library or another set of pieces still on display at the Stern Cultural Center on the NDSCS campus.

New Library Staff members

2009-06-09T09:45:00.003-05:00

Two new staff members have recently joined the Mildred Johnson Library.

Shelly Hart has joined as the Associate who works primarily with the cataloging and processing areas. She orders books, pays bills, gets things ready for students and staff to take out. If you have questions about orders or requests for new materials, Shelly is the person to start with.

Deb Zachmann is the new Associate at the Service Desk. She works with Reserves and helping people who come to the desk looking for the items they need. DEb is also the person to start with for questions about renewals, overdues, fines and so on.

Both Shelly and Deb also work with the IVN classes afternoons and evenings.

Access World News

2009-04-06T13:46:00.001-05:00

Access World News: Research Collection - Free Trial

Research unique current and archived news content for information on topics, events, issues, people, businesses, and more through this in-depth resource. Easy online access to local, in-state, national and international news sources, including newspapers, broadcast transcripts, newswires, news blogs, news web-only content and video. Alerts and "my personal" functionality helps students and faculty track and manage their research projects.

Available on campus from:

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/?db=AWNB&s_sources=location&d_place=United%20States

NewsBank topics for papers

2009-04-03T11:00:00.002-05:00

Are you familiar with NewsBank, the library news subscription? This can be a very useful resource for current events and Hot Topics in the news. All articles are full text and feature length, so there is a wealth of knowledge here to tap into. You can have a look at

http://www.ndscs.nodak.edu/library/hottopics.jsp

to see their pre-searched topics on topics of current interest.

NetLibrary March Book of the Month

2009-03-04T16:01:00.001-06:00

In Two Billion Cars, transportation experts Daniel Sperling and Deborah Gordon provide a concise history of America's love affair with cars and an overview of the global oil and auto industries. America is still the leading emissions culprit, and what is especially worrying is that developing nations are becoming car-centric cultures as well. The authors explain how we arrived in this dangerous state, and also what we can do about it. Sperling and Gordon expose the roots of the problem-- the resistant auto-industry, dysfunctional oil markets, short-sighted government policies, and unmotivated consumers. They zero in on reforming our gas-guzzling culture, expanding the search for low-carbon fuels, environment-friendly innovations in transportation planning, and more. Promising advances in both transportation technology and fuel efficiency together with shifts in travel behavior, they suggest, offer us a realistic way out of our predicament.

http://whatcounts.com/dm?id=1C2C896D163870C0BCD828AC9AD47C17AB211475F9D6EDD4

Trials on Databases

2009-03-04T10:25:00.002-06:00

Along with books, MJ Library purchases databases for articles and other information that are useful for all subjects we teach at NDSCS. On the library main web page, there is a link to NEW resources and any trials we may be carrying out. This has been changed several times lately as we look for new things to add. We invite you to look at the new links and make comments to the library staff, as this helps us determine if these are worth purchasing for our college community.

Facebook Page

2009-02-04T12:35:00.002-06:00

Here is a Facebook page I am starting for the library, just to keep adding new ways of connecting with new and old students. Have a look and write on the Wall if you are a Facebook member. I am looking for was to keep it new and interesting.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wahpeton-ND/Mildred-Johnson-Library-NDSCS/23634125026#

Ghost Book - or why you should always check the catalog

2008-11-13T08:24:00.002-06:00

Check out this video on YouTube, from Georgia, which explains why you should check the online catalog to see where a book can be found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUrfgNoPEBY

New Database Resources

2008-11-12T13:50:00.004-06:00

A new link has been added to the Library Electronic Resources Web Page.

http://www.ndscs.nodak.edu/library/reference.jsp

Following a Free Trial, we recently added two new databases to our electronic reference materials. One is called Culture Grams, the other is the SIRS Researcher.

Culture Grams is useful for many areas, where finding out about a country and the customs of the citizens is necessary for understanding.

The SIRS Researcher is a well-respected grouping of articles on leading issues, which are often used for research papers, opinion papers, and debate questions.

Last year we purchased the AP Images database, which features materials from the Associated Press over many years. It hasn't been used extensively, but it should be useful for many types of projects. Have a look.

Do you love your librarian?

2008-09-24T11:28:00.002-05:00

Then nominate her (or him)!

The Carnegie Corporation and The New York Times sponsor the I Love My Librarian competition. The web site is at

http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian/cccu.cfm

Here is what they have to say about it:

The Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians. The awards program will demonstrate how librarians are improving the lives of the people in their communities.

Up to ten winners will be selected annually and will receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York hosted by The New York Times at TheTimesCenter on December 9, 2008. In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library.

The award is administered by the American Library Association with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York and The New York Times.

So if you have some nice things to say about one of the MJ Library staff, we hope you will consider filling in the nomination form and letting the world know!

The September Project

2008-09-09T14:49:00.002-05:00

"Connecting the world one library at a time"

The September Project is a grassroots effort to encourage events about freedom and democracy in all libraries in all countries during the month of September. September Project events are free and organized locally.

The September Project was begun in 2004 to break the silence following September 11, and to invite all people into libraries to consider topics of patriotism, democracy, and citizenship.

Initially, events focused on September 11 and largely took place on September 11. As the project evolved, events spread throughout the month of September and focused on issues of freedom and democracy. Mildred Johnson Library participates in the Project in a small way by presenting information about Patriotism, Democracy, and Citizenship in relation to Constitution Day on Sept. 17; Banned Books Week from Sept. 29 - Oct 4, 2008; and the upcoming 2008 Presidential Elections.

BUS-eum 3 - German POWs in the Midwest

2008-08-29T15:22:00.001-05:00

For the third year in a row, Mildred Johnson Library will be sponsoring a visit from the traveling TRACES exhibit, known as the BUS-eum. The TRACES museum in St. Paul focuses on events of the Second World War that relate to the MidWest region of the United States. Although far from the action on the battlefield, even this part of the country was directly impacted by Prisoners of War on both sides of the conflict.

On Tuesday, September 9, from 11-2, the BUS-eum will be back with exhibits about German POWs held in this part of the country. There were several POW camps in this region, and many local residents still remember them and the impact they had on local communities. The exhibit will also be at Leach Public Library later in the afternoon and evening.

Here is the link to the TRACES web site on this exhibit –

http://traces.org/Buseum_3_tour/buseum_3.html

It's a great opportunity see and compare what happened half a century ago with what is going on now in regard to Prisoners of War in our country.

Help in searching online - Tutorials

2008-08-01T12:55:00.003-05:00

As we have more online sources, it gets harder to know the best ways to search each one. Have a look at the North Dakota State Library’s Instructional Tutorial Page. These tutorials are designed to instruct you in using the ODIN catalog and the Online Library Resources. If you are having trouble viewing the tutorials, you may have to adjust your computer display settings. You may need to download Adobe Flash Player, install Microsoft PowerPoint (ppt), or adjust your volume to view some tutorials.

http://ndsl.lib.state.nd.us/OnlineTutorials.html

Copyright "Slide Rule"

2008-07-18T08:28:00.003-05:00

The legal issues of Copyright are confusing, and just about as complicated as the US tax code. Most of us want to do the right thing about getting permission, but we aren't always sure what that "right thing"might be. As an aid in determining if an item requires permission for use, the American Library Association has come up with a slide rule that gives a basic answer this question. It isn't enough by itself but should give you an idea of what needs to be done. The link is listed in the Copyright sidebar on this blog, as well as here"

http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/

Do you like to (or have time to) Read?

2008-07-14T14:44:00.002-05:00

There are many new books published every year, and it is hard to keep track of all of them. The "New Books" shelves in the Library can certainly help if you are browsing, but what if you want to read a particular kind of book? Fortunately, there are social networking sites that can help so you don't have to depend on the bookstore sites to show you what you might like.

There are 3 sites to look at where you can join, share the books you read, and see what others are thinking about the books they read. Sharing titles and thoughts with others is a time honored way to find a new book you will love, and these new sites let everyone share with others who like the same things to read. Check them out:

Library Thing http://www.librarything.com
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com
Shelfari http://www.shelfari.com

One of the "laws" of Library Science is "Save the time of the Reader." These sites will definitely save time searching and help you use that time to find and read new things to treasure.

July e-book of the month

2008-07-07T08:55:00.000-05:00

Britannica Encyclopedia of World Religions, by Doniger, Wendy. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Religion is dominating today's headlines like no other time in modern history. Whether the issue is sectarian violence, stem cell research, or political elections, religion plays a critical role. But what is the story behind the headlines? The Britannica Encyclopedia of World Religions gets to the heart of the matter by providing a deeper understanding of the religions that shape our world.

Prepared by the editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, with the assistance of hundreds of scholars and experts, this authoritative, comprehensive, and up-to-date book answers your questions as well as exposes you to the concepts, movements, people, and events associated with living and ancient religions, including Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Designed to increase awareness of online resources and highlight the value of your eBook collection, the July eBook of the Month is provided through the generous support of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

We'll Miss Linda

2008-06-24T09:59:00.002-05:00

One of the nice things about working at the College of Science is that so many people have been working here for years and there is a lot of loyalty to the College. Linda Hausauer has been a Library Associate for over 35 years, and this July 1 she will retire. It is hard to imagine how we will manage the services she has done over the years and we will miss her.

All the college community is invited to attend a Come and Go reception from 2-4, June 30, in the Mildred Johnson Library. We hope those of you who have worked with Linda over the years will be able to come and say good-bye as she moves on to new things in her life.

Encyclopedia Britannica

2008-06-18T16:14:00.002-05:00

As part of the Library's Academic subscription to Britannica, we receive a monthly newsletter. This month, June 2008, the emphasis is on Native Americans. Visit this url

http://links.mkt797.com/servlet/MailView?ms=MTI2NzY1S0&r=ODk1Nzc4MzIS1&j=NTQxNzc2MQS2&mt=1

to see new and updated articles on the traditional cultures, histories, and current affairs of Native Americans.

Comments on MJ Library

2008-06-16T11:59:00.003-05:00

In the good old days, we had suggestion boxes. Now we have e-mail for comments although we don't have comments directly to the blog. When you see this, I hope you will take a few minutes to e-mail us what new or changed services you would like to see at the library, or other improvements to our services. Within our budget, staff, and curriculum, we will do our best to see that we meet, change or correct based on what you say. So, what do you like best; what do you like least; where can we improve; what new things would you like us to have?

Summer School at the Library

2008-06-11T08:55:00.002-05:00

This is a good summer, so far, to be in class: cold and rainy! Not much as yet to tempt students outdoors and away from school work. The Library is open for business, both for classes and beach reading. We have a great collection of Book Club recommendations as well as the audio books in the Commuter Collection. If you will be on vacation and need the books longer than the usual check-out period, be sure to mention this to the person who checks out to you. We will change the due date to allow for your trip.

Newspapers - paper or online

2008-05-23T08:55:00.000-05:00

Newspapers have changed alot over the past few years. While the Library once had many subscriptions, nowadays we keep only a few for people to catch up on their local news. However, most newspapers are easily available via the Internet. You can check out our library resources page for several free subscriptions courtesy of the State of North Dakota:

http://www.ndscs.edu/library/resources.jsp

but one thing you won't find easily is The Fargo Forum online. The Forum makes current articles available; but for past issues you end up in their archives, and they ask you to pay for each article. The cost, it seems to me, is high. So, the Library depends on an older technology. We purchase microfilm copies of The Forum, which arrive monthly. We have done this since 1966, and until their online resource is cheaper, we will continue to do this. Check their archive for the article you want, then come make your copy from the microfilm. It's easy!

Faxing to Brazil

2008-05-21T14:30:00.000-05:00

Who says nothing exciting ever happens in a library? Today we received a request for a copy of an article to be sent to the Ministry of Science and Technology in Brasilia. Piece of cake, right? After all, with phone lines and Internet, every place is just as close as any place else. Right....

By the time I was finished trying, I had talked to Viv in the President's Office, 3 guys in IT, and the fax machine vendor. Technology sometimes isn't as great as we expect it to be. But, like the post office, Document Delivery must go through and the article merrily beeped its way along the phone lines. I hope they don't call to say it didn't print well and can I please do it again!

Library Summer Hours

2008-05-20T13:32:00.000-05:00

MJ Library has several different schedules over the summer, allowing for breaks between sessions, summer school, and the start of the new school year. Here's a quick summary, but call the library at 671-2618 to be sure.

May 12 - May 30: 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
June 2 - July 25: 7:45 am - 4:45 pm
July 28 - August 15: 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
August 18 - August 22: 7:45 am - 4:45 pm.

We also are closed for Memorial Day and Independence Day, and close at 3:00 pm on Fridays.

Auto Repair Reference Center

2008-05-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

The North Dakota State Library is adding a new database to the Online Library Resources that are funded by the state of North Dakota. On July 1 the Ebsco database, Auto Repair Reference Center, will be available through connections from the MJ Library Webpage or through the state library web page.

This database contains information on most domestic and imported vehicles from 1945 to the present, with wiring diagrams, videos, bulletins and recalls, and even a labor cost estimator. It is designed to be user friendly, and most things can be printed and taken to the work site for convenient reference.

Beginning to Blog the Library

2008-05-19T09:28:00.000-05:00

This is the start of the Mildred Johnson Library blog. For those of you who have never seen the library building, this is how we look when the flowers are blooming.