Winter Break

The College will be closed from Saturday 21 December 2013 until Wednesday 1 January 2014.

The College will re-open on Thursday 2 January.

The Library will be open from 8.30AM - 5 PM from 2 January - 11 January.

Classes begin January 13 2014 and the library will resume its normal hours.

Our new slat-wall endcaps are going up

Our elves are using the academic break to make changes to the library shelving. Expect to see new signage and visually arresting displays in our circulating stacks at the beginning of term.

All the Alexandria Campus Library Staff would like to wish you a peaceful winter break and happy holiday season.

Extended Hours a Success!

With term coming to a close and students breathing a sigh of relief as final papers are submitted, exams completed and grades being posted, the Library wrapped up another successful two weeks of extended hours.

In support of students studying for finals, preparing final projects and completing research papers the Library opened early at 8am and remained open late until 11pm.  164 students used the Library before 8.30am and 355 students stayed after 10pm for a grand total of 519 students served during times the Library would normally not be open.

Inclement weather also caused the College to open late one day and close entirely another during finals.

Many thanks to the Library staff who voluntarily adjust the schedules to come to work early and stay late to keep the doors open.  Special thanks to Student Services who also provided "snack carts" during finals week: many juice boxes, Diet Pepsis, chips, cookies and apparently endless Peanut Butter M&Ms were consumed.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas!




Need a break from studying and want to know more about the origins and rites of this popular celebration? Stop by the library and pick up one of these holiday themed titles:

Click here for a complete list of our Christmas titles

 

Need to cram...

...for exams?

The Library once again will hold extended hours at the end of term.  Study Early!  Study Late!

Library Hours for the Last Week of Classes and Finals are:

 

Dec 2 - Dec 5: 8am - 11pm

Dec 6: 8am - 5pm

Dec 7: 9am - 4pm

 

Dec 9 - 12: 8am - 11pm

Dec 13: 8am - 5pm

Dec 14: 9am - 4pm

Dec 16: 8am - 11pm

 

 

On nights the library remains open until 11, study-break snacks will be served at 10.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November!

November 5th is Guy Fawkes Day, when a conspiracy to blow up the Houses of Parliament was thwarted in 1605.  Read up about it one of these books:

Fraser, Antonia.  Faith and Treason: The Story of the Gunpowder Plot.  DA392 F76 1996

Griset, Sue.  Terrorism in Perspective.  HV6431 G75 2013.

The Fifth of November

    Remember, remember!
    The fifth of November,
    The Gunpowder treason and plot;
    I know of no reason
    Why the Gunpowder treason
    Should ever be forgot!
    Guy Fawkes and his companions
    Did the scheme contrive,
    To blow the King and Parliament
    All up alive.
    Threescore barrels, laid below,
    To prove old England's overthrow.
    But, by God's providence, him they catch,
    With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
    A stick and a stake
    For King James's sake!
    If you won't give me one,
    I'll take two,
    The better for me,
    And the worse for you.
    A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
    A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
    A pint of beer to wash it down,
    And a jolly good fire to burn him.
    Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
    Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
    Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

Library Living Room

We've done some redecorating!  The Library's print periodicals are now displayed more attractively and all current issues plus backfiles are located on the main level:

 

Newspapers are also now located on the main level (under the stairs) and additional seating is now available near the windows.

Happy Halloween

From the Punkbrarian

The Library hosted Tirck-or-treating on October 31st for several groups of ghouls and goblins from the ESLSA -- both young and old! 

Read a spooky book

Celebrate the spirit of Halloween with on of these scary titles:

 

The Days of the Dead	GT 4995 A4 G74 1991
Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead	GT 4995 A4 B73 2006
The Mexican Day of the Dead	GT 4995A4 M49 1994
Haunted History : Washington D.C.	AV BF 1472. U^ W3873x 2009
Weird Virginia	F 224.3 .B34x 2007
We Are What We Celebrate	GT 3930 .W37 2004
The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead	BF 1556 . M46 2011 c.3
Ghosts and Haunted Places	BF 1461 .G86 2008
The Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts	BF 1472 .G7 D38 2007
Dracula	PR 6037 .T617 D7 1997 c.5
The Works of Edgar Allen Poe	PS2601 .A1 2003 v.2
Frankenstein	PR 5397 .F7 2012
Gothika	PN 3435 .N45 2012
Salem’s Lot	PS3561 .I483 S25 2000
Frankenstein	PR5397 H58 2007 c.3
Fables: Legends in Exile	PN6727 .W52 F33 2012
Spellbound: A Time of Myth and Magic	BF1589 .A54 2002

Celebrate Trafalgar Day

October 16th is Trafalgar Day, commemorating Admiral Lord Nelson's crushing naval victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets.

Read up on the Nelson, or the history of the battle or the Royal Navy with one of these titles:

 

Adkins, Roy.  Nelson's Trafalgar: The Battle that Changed the World.  DA88.5 1805 A35 2005

Black, Jeremy.  A Military History of Britain from 1775 to the Present.  DA65 B53 2006

Ferguson, Niall.  Empire: The Rise and Demise o the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power.  DA16 F67 2003

Herman, Arthur.  To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Shaped the Modern World.  VA454 H4 2005

Howarth, David.  Lord Nelson, The Immortal Memory.  DA87.1 N4 H63 1989

Palmer, Michael.  Command at Sea: Naval Command and Control Since the Sixteenth Century.  VB212 P36 2005

Tombs, Robert.  That Sweet Enemy: Britain and France: The History of a Love-Hate Relationship.  DA47.1 T58 2008

Worried about the National Debt?

Or are you having an unplanned "vacation" thanks to the government shut-down?

Why not read up on the National Debt, causes, potential solutions, and a range of views:

·         One Nation Under Debt: Hamilton, Jefferson, and the History of What We Owe (HJ8106 .W75x 2008)

·         The National Debt of the United States, 1941 to 2008 (HJ8119 .K45 2008)

·         The Big Lie: How Our Government Hoodwinked the Public, Emptied the S.S. Trust Fund and Caused the Great Economic Collapse (HJ2051 .S5752 2009)

·         Deficit: Why Should I Care? (HJ8119 .B87 2012)

·         White House Burning: the Founding Fathers, Our National Debt, and Why It Matters to You (HJ8101 .J64 2012)

·         A Nation of Takers: America's Entitlement Epidemic (HJ2051 .E27 2012)

·         Blame Welfare, Ignore Poverty and Inequality (HV95 .H257 2007)

·         Welfare (Opposing Viewpoints) (HV91 .W46632 2012)

·         The Politics of Policy Change: Welfare, Medicare, and Social Security Reform in the United States (HN65 .B423 2012)

·         The Health Care Reform Act (KF3605 .G65 2012)

·         Government Entitlements (HV95 .B78 2012)

·         The Parties Versus the People: How to Turn Republicans and Democrats into Americans (JK2265 .E38 2012)

·         The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America (JK2261 .B84 2007)

·         A People's Guide to the Federal Budget (HJ2051 .P476 2012)

·         The Instant Economist: Everything You Need to Know About How the Economy Works (HB171 .T36 2012)

·         Government Spending (Opposing Viewpoints) (HJ7537 .G686 2013)

·         The Federal Budget (Opposing Viewpoints) (HJ2051 .F388 2010)

Fight Censorship. Read a Banned Book

September 21-28 is Banned Book Week.  The Library observed its commitment to freedom to read by displaying books that have been challenged in the last decade.

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. As such, they are a threat to freedom of speech and choice.

Fifty Shades Freed (2012)	Popular Reading
Twilight (2010)	Popular Reading
Arming America (Top 00-09)	HV8059 .B395 2000
Animal Farm (Classics)	PR6029.R8 A63X
1984 (Classics)	PR6029.R8 N49 2002
Golden Compass (Top 00-09)	PR6066.U44 G6x 2006
Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone (Top 00-09)	PR6068.O93 H371x 1998
The Satanic Verses (Classics)	PR6068.U757 S27 1989
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Classics)	PS3515.U789 T5 2006
Invisible Man (Classics)	PS3555.L625 I5353 1999
Grendel (Top 00-09)	PS3557.A712 G7 1989
Snow Falling on Cedars (Top 00-09)	PS3557.U846 S65 1994
To Kill a Mockingbird (2010)	PS3562.E353 T6 1999
Beloved (2012)	PS3563.O8749 B4 1998
Things They Carried	PS3565.B75 T48 2011
Slaughterhouse-Five (Top 00-09)	PS3572.O5 S638 2011
The Kite Runner (2012)	PS3608.O832 K58 2004b
The Lovely Bones (Top 00-09)	PS3619.E26 L68 2002

According to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, there were 464 reported attempts to remove or restrict materials from schools and libraries in 2012 and more than 17,700 attempts since 1990, when the ALA began to record book challenges.

 

 

Snapshot Virginia

One Day in the Life of Virginia's Libraries:

239,560 books, movies and more were checked out

1,645 new customers received library cards

25,602 people used computers at their library

15,905 people came to their libraries for 550 free programs and classes

5,492 people used their libraries to host 644 meetings

3,350 people were helped by their libraries with outreach programs

1,779 hours were logged by library volunteers

21,966 research questions were answered

 

The stats and advocacy for Snapshot Virginia have been published at http://snapshotvirginia.org/ There you will find posters based on compelling statistics and heartfelt comments collected during this year's Snapshot.

Constitution Day: September 17th

The Alexandria Campus Library celebrates Constitution Day on September 17th.  Check out one of these titles to read up on America's founding document or test yourself with the Washington Post's  Constitutional Quiz.

Amar, Akhil Reed.  America's Constitution: A Biography.  KF4541 A87 2005 

Barnett, Randy.  Restoring the Lost Constitution.  KF4541 B313 2004

Bernstein, Richard.  Amending America.  KF4555 B47 1993

Busch, Andrew.  The Constitution on the Campaign Trail.  KF4552 B87 2007

Farber, Daniel.  Retained by the People: The "Silent" Ninth Amendment and the Constitutional Rights Americans Don't Know They Have.  KF4558 9th F37 2007

Holton, Woody.  Unruly Americans and the Origins of the Constitution.  KF4541 H58 2007

Levy, Leonard.  Origins of the Bill of Rights.  KF4749 L488 1999

Lipsky, Seth.  The Citizen's Constitution.  KF4550 Z9 L67 2009

Sunstein, Cass.  A Constitution of Many Minds.  KF4552 S86 2009

Turning Points in World History: Creation of the US Constitution.  KF4541 C68 2003

Tushnet, Mark.  Why the Constitution Matters.  KF4550 T873 2010

Vile, John.  A Companion to the United States  Constitution and its Amendments.  KF4550 V55 1997

Go on a Blind Date!

well, a mystery date of a literary (or cinematographic) sort.

Take a chance on one of our "mystery selections" and take home a book or film from the library collection for a delightful surprise: