Put on your Virtual Hardhats

The Library Circulation System is undergoing an upgrade from 14 - 18 May. While this virtual construction work is going on, the Library will remain open. Some Circulation functions may be limited or unavailable as the system will be offline for the entire week while network engineers in Richmond and elsewhere make upgrades & fixes to the system.

Patrons will still be able to check books in & out.

Unfortunately, the Library Catalog will be unavailable for the duration, and library users will not have access to their circulation records.

Questions? See the Circ Staff!

Remember the Library will close at 7.30 when classes are not in session.

Congratulations Grads!

Alexandria Campus Library wishes all members of NOVA Class of 2008 congratulations and best wishes!!

Study Early, Study Late, Have a Cookie!

Maintaining its tradition of extended hours to support exams, the Alexandria Campus Library opened its doors a half hour early and closed up an hour later each day for a two week period covering the last week of classes & exams. From Monday 28 april through Friday 9 May the Library served over 540 exam studiers before 8.30am and after 10pm.

Students burning the midnight oil were also sustained with cookies & lemonade as a study break in the evenings.

[above: Librarian Matt Todd, Library Assistant Femila Riguera and Library Assistant Twynell Kimble keep the lights on well after 10pm].

Students served: 544

Cookies consumed: 1,000

Lemonade drunk: 12 gallons

Iced Tea sipped: 8 liters

Extreme Makeover

OK, maybe not extreme, but we've been redecorating. Students will find brand new leather chairs in the Dan Cornell Lounge -- the seating space located near the magazines & newspapers on the upper level.




Come on in, pull up a chair, make yourself comy, read a magazine, plug in your laptop & enjoy!

Extended Hours for Exams!!

Once again the Alexandria Campus Library will open early and stay open late to provide extended library hours during the last week of classes and exams. From Monday 28 April through Friday 9 May the Library will open half an hour early at 8am and close a full hour later at 11pm.

Extended hours provide extra study time during this critical time in the semester. Students studying late will also be sustained in their studies with a Late Night Study break served nightly around 10.

Library Staff honored for Years of Service

Congratulations to Library Specialist Marion Mirehouse (below, left) and Library Assistant Kevin O'Hagan (below, right) who were recognized recently at a College-wide event for service to NOVA. Kevin celebrated his 10th anniversary at the College and Marion marked her 30th!

Congratulations Kevin and Marion -- can we expect 30 more years from you both?

To read about other Learning Resource Service Awards, read the LRS Blog.

Pope Benedict in the USA

Pope Benedict XVI has made an historic visit to the USA, starting in the nation's capital right here in DC.

If you were lucky enough to see the Pope, or saw some of his visit on TV (maybe on the giant TVs in the Bisdorf building?) and want to read more about Benedict, the Papacy, or the Catholic Church -- check out these titles in YOUR Library:

Pope Benedict. Jesus of Nazareth. Popular Reading.

Carey, Patrick. Catholics in America. BX1406.3 C36 2004

Kung, Hans. The Catholic Church: A Short History. BX945.3 K8613x 2001

McBrien, Richard. Lives of the Popes. BX955.2 M39 1997

Saints and Sinners. VHS BX955.2 S35x 1997

Wynn, Wilton. Keepers of the Keys: JohnXXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II -- Three Men Who Changed the Church. BX1389 W89 1988

National Library Week

The Alexandria Campus Library celebrated National Library Week (April 13 - 19) with baloons, cookies, lemondade, and student feedback.

200 cookies were served on the afternoon of Wed 16 April (works out to 50 cookies per hour!) along with lemonade.

Students were also asked to contribute to a book detailing their favorite things about the Library. Faves included the large windows, the plants, the staff (aww, thanks!), computers, that resources are FREE and "books, books, books". One kind contributor wrote "Librarians ROCK!"

(thanks -- we hope so!).

Library Staff also recommended their favorite books:

Calderon de la Barca, Pedro. Life is a Dream PQ6292 V5 A77 2002b (Anne)

Arundhati, Roy. The God of Small Things PR9499.3 R59 G63 1998 (Anne)

Bennet, Alan. The Uncommon Reader Popular Reading (Sylvia)

Haley, Alex. Roots. E185.97.H24 A33 1977 (Jean) *

Jezebel. DVD PN1997 .J494345x 2006 (Jean)

Fielding, Henry. The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling. PR3454 .H5 1964B (Matt) *

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. PR4479 .A1 1971 (Jeremy)

Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. JC143 .M38 2005

Wizard of Oz. DVD PS3503.A923 O59 2005b

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. PS3515.U789 T639 1991 (Twynell)

Cooper, James Fenimore. Last of the Mohicans. PS1408 .A1 1986 (Kevin) *

Davis, Samson. The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise to Fulfill a Dream. R695 D38 2002 (Bruce)

Hillerman, Tony. The Shape Shifter. Popular Reading (Marion)

Byrd, Ayana. Naked : Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, and Other Parts. E259 .C43 2005 (Brandee)

* starred selections are also available on DVD or VHS.

Survey Says...

For several weeks in March & April the NOVA Libraries conducted a user-satisfaction survey to see how our students think we're doing. And the Results Are In for the Alexandria Campus:

63% of students rated the quality of the study environment as "Excellent" or "Very Good".

90% of students found Library staff "Always" or "Usually" courteous.

85% of students felt they were "Always" or "Usually" assisted quickly.

Most popular activities conducted in the Library include Research (80% of students), Study (80%), Email (64%), and Borrow Books (60%).

Over half of respondents had used online databases, Reference books, or checked books out of the Library.

81% of students "Always" or "Usually" found the resources they needed.

What could the Library do better?

Students expressed frustration of dissatisfaction with noise-levels, lack of group study, the wireless network, and inadequate access to computers.

Note: Upon completion of Phase III the Library will be able to expand into the area currently occupied by the Counseling Department and the Financial Aid Office. Following a series of student focus groups as well as this survey, the Library hopes to provide access to enclosed group study, increase the number of computers and improve computer work spaces, and create better divisions between "noisy" functions like photocopying, computers and group work from "quiet" functions like individual study and research.

Computers in Libraries!!

Alexandria Campus Librarians Anne Anderson, Jean Hogan and Matt Todd attended the Computers in Libraries conference in Arlington Virginia April 7, 8 & 9.

Conference sessions addressed such diverse issues as the role of gaming and virtual reality in instruction, marketing library services, connecting with the YouTube Generation, student research habits, and updates on the latest in search technologies.

If you'd like to see an amusing amateur video promoting academic libraries, check out this YouTube offering called "Databases". If you're a fan of the Saturday Night Live Digital Short Lazy Sunday/ Chronicles of Narnia might enjoy the Chronicles of Libraria. (for some interesting news about SNL digital shorts and copyright, see here*).

For some fun and interesting new resources on the web, visit the Resource Shelf.

* for those distressed that the Library Blog referenced Wikipedia: see this recent New Yorker article or this Nature study comparing Wikipedia to Encyclopaedia Britannica. (NB: Encyclopaedia Britannica does not have an entry for Saturday Night Live or Andy Samberg).

Vietnam Veterans Memorial goes Interactive

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has now gone virtual. A website launched by the National Archives and footnote.com now allows increased interactive access to information about the 58,000 troops memorialized on the "Wall" in Washington DC.

The Website now provides access to service records, photographs, visitor comments and more. Finding a name is simple through the website's search function.

Visit the Virtual Wall here: http://go.footnote.com/thewall

To read more about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, visit the National Parks Service Website:

"Deliberately setting aside the controversies of the war, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the men and women who served when their Nation called upon them. The designer, Maya Lin, felt that “the politics had eclipsed the veterans, their service and their lives.” She kept the design elegantly simple to “allow everyone to respond and remember.” -- NPS

Or read about the Wall in one of the Library's many books on the subject:

Morrissey, Thomas. Between The Lines: Photographs From The National Vietnam Veterans Memorial. DS559.83 W18 M67

All The Unsung Heroes: The Story Of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. VHS DS559.83.W18 A45x 1990

Hass, Kristin. Carried To The Wall: American Memory And The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. DS559.83.W18 H33 1998

Katakis, Michael. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. DS559.83.W18 K37 1988

Library Staff visit Phase III Building Site

On Thursday 13 March the Library Staff took a field trip to Phase III.

Construction is well underway on the attractive and spacious addition to the Alexandria Campus. Library Staff admired the openness, the transparency, and the VIEWS.

We also enjoyed a peak into the Public Conveniences:

Anne Anderson - Library Photography Star!

Anne Anderson (Reference & Instruction Librarian) won an 'Honorable Mention' in Virginia Wildlife magazine's annual photo contest. Anne's photo of a water lily was taken at Huntley Meadows:


Congratulations Anne!

Next year we expect a First Place!!

The Other Alexandria Library

Some of our readers discover our blog while looking for information about the Great Library of Alexandria, once a great center of learning in the ancient world. The Library was destroyed in somewhat mysterious circumstances -- traditionally the destruction of the Great Library is attributed to Julius Caesar, but other possible suspects include early Christians or Muslims.

Remains of the Great Library were recently discovered by archaeologists.

In 1998 a new library, the Biblioteca Alexandria, was opened. The BA includes space for 1 million volumes (current collection is about half of that), exhibit space, a planetarium, an Internet center, chidlren's museum and auditoria.

Thanks for visiting the Alexandria Campus Library at Northern Virginia Community College. While we may not possess one million volumes or a collection of Mediterranean antiquities, we're glad you found us online.

Feel free to contact one of our librarians if we can be of further assistance.

Books for Lit Critters and other Humanities Types

A few new books from Literature, Philosophy & History.

Nutall, AD. Shakespeare the Thinker. PR3000 N88 2007

Baldwin, James. If Beale Street Could Talk. PS3552 A45 I4 2006

Lihamba, Amndina. Women Writing in Africa: The Eastern Region. PL8014 E22 W66 2007

Russel, Bertrand. The Basic Writings. B1649 R91 E38 1992

Geldard, Richard. The Essential Transcendentalists. B905 E87 2005

Ferriss, Suzanne. Chick Lit: The New Woman's Fiction. PS374 W6 C48 2006

Moser, Paul. The Theory of Knowledge. BD161 M8485 1998

Plato. The Laws. JC71 P2633 2004

Ruggiero, Vincent. The Art of Thinking. BF441 R84 2007

Wilson, Ben. Decency and Disorder: The Age of Cant 1789-1837. DA520 W54 2007

Check out these and more new books in Your Library today!

Library Tour hits the Web!

It is now possible to take on online tour of the Alexandria Campus Library. In just eight fun-filled and informative minutes, Reference Librarian Anne Anderson and Library Specialist Brandee Worsham take Library users through the paces for checking out books, printing and copying, adding money to your NovaCard, using course reserves, configuring laptops, and finding quiet places (or not so quiet places!) to study. Check out the tour from the Library Homepage or visit the tour directly: http://www.nvcc.edu/alexandria/library/librarytour/

What's that smell?

Ever wonder about the aroma in the corner of the library near the windows? It's the corn plant in bloom!



Dracaena fragrans or corn plant is an old-fashioned house plant with glossy green leaves and fragrant (!) blossoms. The Library's corn plants bloom several times per year. (for those who think the corn plants perfume is more stinky than succulent, it only blooms at night!)

LexisNexis comes to the Library!

The NOVA Libraries are happy to announce the acquisition of LexisNexis
Academic. This database provides access to over 5 billion searchable
documents from news, business and legal sources. LexisNexis Academic
joins two other products, LexisNexis Congressional and LexisNexis
Statistical to provide NOVA users with unparalleled access to full-text
online resources. Use LexisNexis to find national and international news,
law reviews, Supreme Court and other cases, U.S. Legislation, company
financial and industry information as well as a wide range of statistical
tables. Visit your campus library today to learn more or explore LexisNexis
from the Library home page:
http://www.nvcc.edu/Library/databases.htm

Scholarship & Financial Aid info at Your Library

Need to pay for College? Visit the Scholarship Fair today 11am - 1pm in the Bisdorf Cafeteria, or check out some of these great resources in Your Library:

Aiding Students, Buying Students: Financial Aid in America. LB2337.4 W53

501 Ways for Adult Students to Pay for College. LB2337.4 T36x

Chronicle Financial Aid Guide. LB2337.4 C47

College Money Handbook. REF LB2337.2 C65

College Student’s Guide to Merit and Other Non-Need Funding. REF LB2337.2
C64

Directory of Financial Aid for Women. REF LB2338 D592

Financial Aid 101. LB2337.4 C43x

Financial Aid for African Americans. REF LB2338 F5643

Financial Aid for Asian Americans. REF LB2338 F5644

Financial Aid for the Disabled. LB2337.2 F58

Financial Aid for Hispanic Americans. REF LB2338F5645

Making a Difference: Scholarships for a Better World. LB2338 W39

National Directory of Scholarships, Internships, and Fellowships for Latino Youth.
REF LB2338 N293x

Paying for College Without Going Broke. LB2337.4 P744

Scholarship Almanac. LB2338 P44 2005

Scholarship Book. REF LB2337.2 C37

Scholarship Handbook. LB2338 C597

Scholarship Scouting Report. LB2338 K367

Or check out online resources, accessible from the Library's Best of the Web page.

Open access computers return to the Library!

We heard you! In response to a very high volume of student complaints and concerns about the new requirement for LAN logon, the Library has re-instated open access computers.

LAN logons will still be required for computer labs and classrooms. To find your LAN logon, follow the instructions in the previous post.

Library computers will be available to all users (students and non-students) for research & information needs. The information superhighway is once again open for business!