Holiday Book Sale

On Wednesday 14 December the Library conducted a book sale outside the cafeteria. The Library accepts donations of books and other materials throughout the year. Titles that directly support the campus curriculum are added to the collection. All other titles are sold, either in the on-going book sale just inside the front doors of the Library, or in periodic book sale events held at the "Y" on the lower level. All money raised from the book sale supports the materials budget, and so purchases books that enhance the Library's collection and support the campus curriculum. The holiday book sale raised over $120 for the Library materials budget.

Open Early -- Open Late!!

The Library offers extended hours from Dec 5th - Dec 15th to help students studying for and taking exams. Mondays through Thursdays in the last week of classes and the week of exams will see the library open early at 8am and close late at 11pm. During the evening hours the library also serves "Open Late Study Break" for library users cramming into the night. Students enjoyed coffees, hot chocolate, and tea, served in the Circulation area (above) during the evening hours. Appreciative students burning the midnight oil expressed thanks to library staff for keeping the Library OPEN EARLY and OPEN LATE.

Good luck to all who are taking exams!

Had Enough?

James Carville, who the Chronicle of Higher Education dubbed the Ragin' Cajun, has been guest lecturing at the Alexandria Campus this fall semester. If you missed out on his Honors Class, you can still catch up with Carville's trenchant analysis of politics and current events. Just check out one of his books from YOUR Library.

Or, spend some quality time with other new titles from the Library. See a selection of new acquisitions, including the confessions of an Ivy League call-girl; a history of Daylight Savings time; tips on how to organize everything from desk drawers to political coups; an introduction to Islam; the development of the sports network ESPN and MORE:

http://www.nvcc.edu/home/mtodd/CurrentNewBooks.htm

40 -- and better than ever!

Northern Virginia Community College turned 40 in November. And the Library celebrated with an archival display including College Catalogs, Yearbooks, Literary Contest Winners, the Oral History of the College and more (even including the Belle Wheelan bell!). The Library also featured archival articles from the Collective (now the Student Voice), Alexandria Campus's student newspaper.

Join the Campus and College in celebrating 40 years of excellence in education: yesterday, today and tomorrow!

View our slideshow:

http://www.nvcc.edu/alexandria/history/index.pdf

Going to the Chapel

Library staff have been getting married (but not to each other!) and going to weddings.



Library Specialist Brandee Chapman married Zee Worsham in October. Congratulations, Brandee!

And Collection Development Librarian Matt Todd went to Britain to read the lesson for friends who got married in a Scottish wedding:



Matt's the one in the kilt on the left!

Library Mini Tours

In the fall semester the Library conducted several "mini-tours", so that people new to the Library, or even people who had been using the Library for many years, would have a chance to experience some informal "sight-seeing" guided by a member of staff. The mini tours promised to teach each person who took them something they did not previously know about the Library (and seem to have succeeded) , and each person going on a tour was entered into a prize drawing. And the winners are (clockwise: Kirubeal Mandefro, Nina Hughes, Zahra Arif):



Winners received gift certificates for music downloads or books.

America's Game

Autumn is upon us and with it football season (go Redskins!). But did you know that pro-football was once "a ramshackle afterthought on the margins of the American sports landscape?" Discover this and other fascinating stories in our latest selection of NEW BOOKS:

http://www.nvcc.edu/home/mtodd/CurrentNewBooks.htm

The Library's New Look

The new tile floor in the Library circulation area. Fall semester classes resumed on Wednesday October 12th, and students returned to a brand new floor in the entrance to their Library. The new floor is clean, durable, and water-resistant, and according to students walking through the library, looks great!

New flooring @ Your Library

While Alexandria Campus students enjoyed a break from classes on October 10th and 11th, things were busy in the Library! The autumn non-instructional days provided an opportunity for a face-lift in the entry to the Library and Counseling area. Worn carpet was ripped up, the floor prepared, and new tile laid in the circulation area. Throughout the dirt, dust, oscillating fans, workmen coming and going, radios and cellphones crackling, and smells, the Library continued to offer research, circulation, and computer services. The Library maintained slightly abbreviated fall break hours (8.30am - 7.30pm) and library users cheerfully navigated a temporary new entrance, negotiated unfamiliar noise, dust and odors, and managed to adapt to slightly re-arranged service desks.

Installing the new tile floor in the circulation area of the Library.

Art of the DC Music Scene

The library celebrates the Tyler Teaching Gallery Exhibit, "The Art of the DC Music Scene" with a special display of titles relating to music, the art of music, and music in DC. From Duke Ellington to Dischord House, DC has given birth to, and hosted, a vibrant musical scene. Check out some of the library's resources at our Hot Topics Page:

http://www.nvcc.edu/alexandria/library/hottopics/artofdc.htm

Library Book Sale at the Fall Festival

On Monday, September 26th 2005 the Alexandria Campus enjoyed yet another Fall Festival. This year, for the first time, the Alexandria Campus Library held a Book Sale in conjunction with Fall Festival. The Library Table was the scene of fast and furious commerce throughout the day, during which paperback novels, textbooks, National Geographic magazines, foreign language books and more were sold. At the conclusion of the sale, the library yielded $175.00, all of which will go to support the library materials budget. All books sold were donations to the library. The library accepts all donations, adding to the collection those titles that support the College curriculum and are suitable for our users. Titles not deemed suitable for addition to the collection are sold in the library Book Sale. In addition to the popular library Book Sale at Fall Festival (which we hope will be the first of an annual Fall Festival Book Sale!), the library runs a continuous Book Sale from a specially-designated space just inside the front doors. If you missed the Fall Festival Book Sale, check out the ongoing sale inside the library!


(pictured: L: Matt Todd, Collection Development Librarian. R: Sylvia Rortvedt, Associate Director)

Bloomin' Cactus!

The library's Cereus peruvianus has bloomed again! Our impressive 20-foot tall cactus came out in a stunning nocturnal display with 5 buds. Unfortunately, they only bloom at night, and each bud opens for only one night!

LRS Staff Present at Peer Group

Alexandria Learning Resources Services staff joined colleagues from across the Commonwealth for the LRS Peer Group in Roanoke on 8 and 9 September. Among the presenters were (back row, l-r) Bruce Carroll, Jean Hogan, Sylvia Rortvedt, Angela Franklin, Laura Franklin; (front row, l-r) Matt Todd, David Williams (Chair of the Peer Group Committee), and Cate Keaser.

Read more about it in the September 30th Edition of the Intercom:

http://www.nvcc.edu/pip/Sept30-05.pdf

The Library Celebrates Constitution Day!

Constitution Day is September 16th:

http://www.constitutionday.com/

The Library marks the day with a display of books discussing the development, interpretation, and history of the U.S. Constitution.

http://www.nvcc.edu/alexandria/library/hottopics/constitutionday05.htm

The NVCC Television Center also makes available two excellent programs on the Constitution that you can access and watch on your own computer through video on demand. (A broadband connection is required.)

THE CONSTITUTION: THAT DELICATE BALANCE - Constitutional issues come to life in this Emmy Award-winning series. Key political, legal, and media professionals engage in spontaneous and heated debates on controversial issues such as campaign spending, the right to die, school prayer, and immigration reform. This series will deepen understanding of the life and power of this enduring document and its impact on history and current affairs, while bringing biases and misconceptions to light. Produced by Columbia University Seminars on Media and Society.

DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA – This series covers The Civics Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress developed by the U.S. Department of Education. The 15 half-hour video programs, hosted by national television correspondent Renée Poussaint, were produced by the Educational Film Center.

Both series are available through the NVCC Television Center Web site at http://www.nvcc.edu/tvcenter. Look under Program Information for the Annenberg Programs. Complete program listings and information on accessing these Video on Demand Programs are included with the listings.

Welcome to YOUR Library!

The Library begins a new fall term having undergone a face-lift:


Did you know that in the spring '05 semester, our gate-count registered 160,000 visits to the library? If you haven't stopped by lately, come in and experience our new look.

Celebrate the Year of Languages!!

2005 is the Year of Languages, and Alexandria Campus Library is celebrating with a display of books and CDs related to learning and teaching languages. Come into the library to find full courses on learning to speak Russian, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German and more! Discover the history of language, read up on the development of English, brush up on your grammar, explore the study of linguistics. Celebrate! Educate! Communicate!

http://www.nvcc.edu/alexandria/library/hottopics/languages.htm

Beach Reading!

There's still a little summertime left to squeeze in some beach-side reading! These are but a few of the many new books in YOUR library. Enjoy!

http://www.nvcc.edu/home/mtodd/CurrentNewBooks.htm

Flora in the library

The library is home to many varieties of thriving potted plants. One of the most impressive is our Cereus peruvianus (cactus), which bloomed recently. This cactus blooms but once per year, and only briefly, and the flowers only open at night!

Come into the library and have a look at our plants (and learn their Latin and English names while you're at it!).

Meet the library staff

(l-r): Matt Todd, Marion Mirehouse, Clayton McGahee, Sylvia Rortvedt, Anne Anderson, Femila Riguera, Kim Gross, Jean Hogan, Kevin O'Hagan, Bruce Carroll, Brandee Chapman. (not pictured, Jane Maddan).

New at YOUR Alexandria Campus Library

Exciting things have been happening at YOUR library over the summer.

MORE SHELVES: We added a significant amount of new shelving to better accomodate our outstanding collection AND to make room for more intriguing acquisitions.

FEATURE FILMS: Ever needed a study break and wondered if the library held a collection of feature films? Well, we do, and now we've placed them in a NEW and EASY TO FIND area near the Reference Desk. Videos and DVDs can be checked out for one week!

NEW BOOKS: want to keep up with the great new titles arriving week by week at the library? Check out our NEW BOOK page: http://www.nvcc.edu/home/mtodd/CurrentNewBooks.htm