Back by popular demand!

You asked, and we heard you.

The very popular puzzle has returned to the Library. Find the puzzle opposite the Circulation Desk near the front doors.

So take a study break, take a rest, help finish the puzzle. And check back often, new puzzles are coming soon!

Spring 2010

Welcome back to Spring Term 2010. Classes resumed on 11 January and the Library is once again a busy place. Normal term-time hours also resumed (Mon - Thurs 8.30am - 10pm, Fri 8.30am - 5pm and Saturdays 9am - 4pm).

Need help doing research, finding that perfect article, or books on a topic? Stop by the Reference Desk and a librarian will be happy to help you.

Looking for the text book for your class? Ask at the Circulation/ Reserves desk -- the Library holds many current text books that can be used for 2 hours.

With instruction increasingly moving to online platforms like BlackBoard, FaceBook and websites, you may be looking for a computer. The Library has 40 computers available for student use (please be aware academic use takes priority). You can also access the wireless network (visit the IT Help Desk to find out how) or plug in at the wired carrelslocated on the upper level or on the main level behind the stacks.

Remember the Open Computer Center is available with more computers, color printing, a scanner and technical assistance.

You can also find places for individual and group study, quiet study, current magazines, international and national newspapers, and popular reading selections.

Have a great Spring Term!

Happy Christmas!

The Library staff wish the whole NOVA community a happy and healthy holiday.

Enjoy the break!

Extended Hours Serve 500

Between Dec 7 and Dec 18th the Library once again offered extended hours to accomodate students studying for finals exams or preparing final papers and projects. The Library opened half an hour early at 8am and closed an hour later at 11pm.

Nearly 500 students took advantage of the extended hours, visiting the Library before 8.30 or after 10pm. The Library was even busier during the daytime, when near-capacity crowds of over 200 students a time found places for solo study, group study, computer use, as well as borrowing books and textbooks.

Study-break snacks were also served to the late-night studiers. Over 100 cups of coffee, tea or cocoa were consumed over two weeks, along with countless cookies.

Library staff hope that the extended hours and study-break snacks helped to make final exams a little less stressful. Wishing everyone success at the end of term!

Time for Exams. More Library Study Time!

It's that time of the semester when final prjects, term paper and exams are upon us. In order to help NOVA students prepare for all this, the Library will once again offer extended hours.

Dec 7 - Dec 10 and Dec 14 - Dec 17 the Library will open at 8am and close at 11pm. On Fri Dec 11 and Dec 18 the Library will open at 8am and close at 5pm. that's 13 extra hours of study time!

In keeping with the Final Exam tradition snacks will be served in the evenings.

Top Google Searches for DC

Google has released it's year-end list of top searches by city.

DC's top ten make for interesting reading:

Washington, D.C.

1. fcps blackboard
2. national harbor
3. e street cinema
4. nova community college
5. wtop news
6. wmata
7. nationals baseball
8. dc restaurant week
9. washington sports club
10. leesburg outlets

(as NOVA students know, fcps blackboard refers to the online learning module BlackBoard).

Hint for #4: it's http://www.nvcc.edu/!

Flanders Fields

Nov 11th is Veterans Day (Remembrance Day in the rest of the English Speaking World) commemorating the Armistice which ended the hostilities of World War I on November 11th, 1918 ("on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the guns in France fell silent").





The events and horrible human toll of WWI were commemorated in a poem by John McCrae:

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Take a moment to remember the fallen. Express appreciation for the work and sacrifices of veterans. Events will be held at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov 11. The Alexandria Campus will sponsor several events on Nov 12th.

Or read up on WWI with one of these books:

The First World War: A Very Short Introduction. D521 H645 2008

Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918, World War I and its Violent Conclusion. D523 P44 2004

(and if you're wondering what the deal with the "red flower" is, check out the Poppy Appeal).

Matt Todd elected VLA President!

Matt Todd (Collection Development Librarian at the Alexandria Campus Library) was elected Vice-President/ President Elect of the Virginia Library Association.

Results of the state-wide elections were announced at the General Session of the 2009 Virginia Library Association Conference in Williamsburg.

Matt is the first community college librarian to serve as President and is the youngest person ever elected. Matt's presidential term will begin in 2010.

Matt has been active in VLA for 10 years, having served on the Region V committee since 2001 and serving on the Executive Board as Treasurer in 2008-9.

Puzzled?

Alexandria students are taking a break from the rush of mid-terms and research papers to work on a puzzle:

Come by and help them out! We'll display the completed puzzle.

Got Research?

Need help completing your research for a term paper, research product, speech or presentation?

Confused about where to start?

The Library can help!

Visit the Library Homepage to access online books, magazine, newspaper & scholarly journal articles.

Stop by Bisdorf Room 232 and ask a librarian for research assistance.

Off-campus? Get in touch by phone, email or e-messaging.

You've got research. We've got help.

Student Newspaper Goes Online

Read the Student Voice online:

http://novafortnightly.com/

Fall Break

There will be no classes on Monday October 12 (Columbus Day) and Tuesday October 13.


The Library will be open on those days, with a slightly different schedule: the Library will open at 8.30am and close at 7.30pm.


Library resources are always available at www.nvcc.edu/library.

BOOK SALE -- TODAY!!

Support YOUR Library & get a great bargain at our Huge Fall Used Book Sale.

All day, at the "Y" near the cafeteria.

Hardcover $1.00

Paperback $0.50

Sit easy

The Library has added some new chairs for the computers in the Reference area.

Previous seating in this heavily-used area was old and considerably worn out -- not to mention not veryt comfortable!

The new chairs match the seating already in place in CyberSpace.

Future of Libraries?

Are these the 'new' librarians?



According to CNN, the Future of Libraries is going to a brave new world, a world distinguished by 'loud rooms', social networking, librarians with tattoos and piercings (and dressed like they came from the streets of Brooklyn!) and possibly no books!

If books are so endangered, why does the Alexandria Campus Library's circulation of printed books keep going up?

Hmmm...

Need a Textbook?

Students looking for the assigned textbook for their Alexandria Campus classes may find reserve copies available in the Library.

Textbook reserve provides students with limited access to course texts. Students may read or study from the textbooks here in the Library or make photocopies for their personal use.

A NOVACard Student ID is necessary to borrow textbooks. Most textbooks may be used in the Library only (they may not be taken out of the Library) and most have a 2-hour limit so as many people as possible can have a chance to access reserve material.

Please be aware that course reserves are very popular and in high demand -- hundreds of students make use of course reserves every day. Please be considerate of other students: do not write in, remove pages from, or otherwise damage reserved textbooks. In many cases the Library only has one copy of each book. Please also return reserve textbooks on time. Someone else is waiting!

Reserves carry a $2 per hour fine for late returns.

Students needing a personal copy of a textbook, or who need to take a textbook home, or who wish to use a textbook for more than 2 hours at a time should purchase textbooks from the campus Bookstore. Some scholarship money is availble to assist students who cannot afford to purchase textbooks. Contact the Dean of Students for more information.

Dead Kennedys

No, not these Dead Kennedys:

Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy died yesterday. To read more about the Kennedys, try

The Kennedys at War 1937 - 1945. E747 R46 2002

The Kennedys. AV E843 K4919x 1992

Road to Dallas: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy. E842.9 K25 2008

Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years. E841 T29 2007

Edward Moore Kennedy. February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009

Or, if you really are interested in the Dead Kennedys, try

Encyclopedia of Punk Music and Culture. ML102.R6 C64 2006

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk. ML3534 .P624 2006

Punk: The Whole Story. ML3534 .P893 2006

Welcome Back!

Welcome to Fall Term 2009! The Library resumes term-time hours (8.30am - 10pm Mon - Thurs, 8.30 - 5 Fri and 9 - 4 Sat) and anticipates a lively beginning of the academic year.



Stop in to read today's newspapers, browse for a new book, find your text book, prepare for the Placement Tests, or say hello to your campus librarians.


Need a computer? Find the Open Computer Center in room 155. Need help registering for classes? Visit Student Services in room 194.


Welcome Back! We're here to help you succeed.

Where Is My Favorite Library Source?

In response to significant cuts to the library materials budget (over 40% reduction from 2007-8), it has been unfortunately necessary to cut some library resources.

Librarians from each campus collaborate to make collection decisions, analyzing use statistics and cost to make responsible choices about database subscriptions.

Each campus library also assesses print subscriptions and monograph acquisition priorities.

If you notice one of your favorite resources is no longer available, please contact your campus librarian to find out about alternatives.

The news isn’t all bad! The college still subscribes to over 150 online databases. Alexandria campus will continue to receive many print periodicals. And of course we are still buying books (expanding print book collections is a recurring request in library user surveys). As always, please feel free to make suggestions and give feedback about library collections.

Gearing up for Fall

Fall 2009 is almost upon us (classes begin Aug 24) and your Library is getting ready. This summer we shifted all 50,000 volumes of our circulating collection to make room for even more books! Which is a good thing, as new additions to the collection are being added every week.

The air-conditioning system was completely replaced -- after 3 months of no A-C in the Library, it's now nice and cool.

The old computers in the Reference Area were removed and replaced with 28 brand news ones.

Headphones are available in the specially marked bins (please return them when you're done!).

New study carrells have been added on the upper level, increasing the Library's available seating to over 250 seats.

New network drops have been added, increasing the internet availability to laptop users.

Library staff have been busy cleaning, sorting, organizing and preparing for the new semester. We hope to see YOU in the Library soon.