Winter Break: Happy Holidays!

 The Library staff would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a Very Successful New Year!

(Happy Holidays from the Library Darth Vaders!!)

The College will be closed from December 24 - January 3, re-opening at 10:30am on January 4th.

However, we are still here to help you!  Research assistance will be available virtually via the 24-7 live chat throughout the break.  The NOVA Call Center will also be available to answer general questions (703-323-3000).

Classes resume on January 11th.

Busy Librarians!

 Even though the majority of classes continue to be taught remotely, and even though there aren't many students on campus, the Library is OPEN.  Currently registered students can use the Library Monday - Thursday between 10am - 4pm.*

During this period, librarians are taking the opportunity to review and assess the Library's print collections, and remove material that is outdated, no longer relevant to the curriculum, or damaged.

Making room for new books!

To be removed from the collection

More breathing space for the books!

* Library services, including real-time research assistance and online collections are available 24-7 from the Library Homepage.

Diwali

 Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. (National Geographic)

Diwali will look a little different in 2020.

Read more about Diwali in one of these library ebooks:

Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations.

Events, Places, and Societies

A Looong Election

 Are you nervous that this year's election might take a long time to resolve?  Did you know this is not the first time in American history?

And we're not talking about the election of 2000. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

How about the election of 1800?

In the election of 1800, the Federalist incumbent John Adams ran against the rising Republican Thomas Jefferson. The extremely partisan and outright nasty campaign failed to provide a clear winner because of a constitutional quirk. Presidential electors were required to vote for two people for the offices of president and vice-president. The individual receiving the highest number of votes would become president. Unfortunately，Jefferson and his vice-presidential running mate Aaron Burr both received the identical number of electoral votes, and the House of Representatives voted to break the tie. When Adams’s Federalists attempted to keep Jefferson from the presidency, the stage was set for the first critical constitutional crisis of the new American federal republic. (Library of Congress)

Or the election or 1876?

The results of the U.S. presidential election of 1876 were a mess. A Democratic candidate had emerged with the lead in the popular vote, but 19 electoral votes from four states were in dispute. In 1877, Congress convened to settle the election (History.com)

Read more about it online: American Political Parties and Elections: A Very Short Introduction.  Available online at the NOVA Library.

BOO!

 Halloween is almost here.  There will be no Trick or Treating this year, so treat yourself to a good book.  All available online:

Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night

Why Horror Stories

Minerva's Night Out: Philosophy, Pop Culture and Moving Pictures

America's Favorite Holidays: Candid Histories

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 October is worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Fast Facts About Breast Cancer from the CDC

• Each year in the United States, more than 250,000 women get breast cancer and 42,000 women die from the disease.
• Men also get breast cancer, but it is not very common. About 1 out of every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States is found in a man.
• Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older, but breast cancer also affects younger women.

Read more from the Library ebook collection:

Thinking Through Breast Cancer: A Philosophical Exploration of Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survival

Breast Cancer Screening: Making Sense of Complex and Evolving Evidence

Improving Outcomes for Breast Cancer Survivors: Perspectives on Research Challenges and Opportunities

RIP RBG

 Read our online biography of Ruth Bader Ginsberg:

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Constitution Day

 September 17th is Constitution Day!  According to the Library of Congress:

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is observed each year on September 17 to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and “recognize all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.”

This commemoration had its origin in 1940, when Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing and requesting the President to issue annually a proclamation setting aside the third Sunday in May for the public recognition of all who had attained the status of American citizenship.  The designation for this day was “I Am An American Day.”

In 1952 Congress repealed this joint resolution and passed a new law moving the date to September 17 to commemorate “the formation and signing, on September 17, 1787, of the Constitution of the United States.” The day was still designated as “Citizenship Day” and retained its original purpose of recognizing all those who had attained American citizenship. This law urged civil and educational authorities of states, counties, cities and towns to make plans for the proper observance of the day and “for the complete instruction of citizens in their responsibilities and opportunities as citizens of the United States and of the State and locality in which they reside.”

In 2004 under Senator Byrd's urging, Congress changed the designation of this day to "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" and added two new requirements in the commemoration of this Day. The first is that the head of every federal agency provide each employee with educational and training materials concerning the Constitution on September 17th. The second is that each educational institution which receives Federal funds should hold a program for students every September 17th.

Or read online:

America's Founding Documents.  (online)

Conlin. In Defense of the United States Constitution (online)

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights (online)

Featured eBooks

 Whether taking classes remotely, partly remotely, or even on campus, the Library has a wide selection of eBooks which can be accessed from anywhere (just log in with your MyNOVA account info).

The Library Homepage even recommends featured eBooks through the online catalog.

Recommended:

Return to Campus

Beginning on August 24th, the Library will re-open to students for limited services to support learning in the Fall semester.  Even though we will be back, things will look a little different, feel a little different, and work a little differently.

The Library will be open to currently registered students Monday - Thursday from 10am - 4pm.

In order to accommodate social distancing, seating will be limited, and a small number of computers will be available (additional computers will be available in the Open Computer Lab).  WiFi will be available throughout the building and in the parking lots.

Users are required to use a face covering to enter the Library.  Please observe social distancing and remain 6 feet apart from staff and other users.  Please limit your time in the Library to allow other users access.

In order to ensure the health and safety of our users, some services and facilities will be temporarily unavailable.  Group study rooms will not be available.  The book shelves will be closed to users.  The upper level and parts of the reading room will be closed.

Students may request to borrow materials online on the library homepage and collect them up at self-service pick-up locations.  Students may return materials in the outside book drop, or in the inside return bin.  Please not returned materials will be quarantined for at least 7 days & will remain on the user account until checked in.

Library services will continue to be available online.  NOVA Librarians will be available to provide online research assistance from 8.30am - 8.00pm, and real-time research assistance is available via our chat service 24-7.  

Users are asked to sanitize their work spaces before and after use.

RIP Willie

 It is with great sadness that we report the untimely death of Willie, the Library Fish.

Willie joined the Library family back in 2015, when he was a gift from a student as part of the celebration of Nowruz.

Since that time, Willie outgrew three fish tanks, and entertained countless students as well as faculty and staff.

Willie was also a faithful correspondent on this blog.

Despite the heroic efforts of Alexandria Facilities staff, Campus Police and security, the prolonged COVID quarantine seems to have been too much for poor Willie.

Read online:

Coping with Grief and Loss: A Guide to Healing.

BLOG TURNS 15!!

Happy Anniversary to the Alexandria Campus Library Blog, which turns fifteen year old today!

Back on 29 July the first ever post appeared on YOUR Alexandria Campus Library blog.

And in that time, there have been 123,315 page views!

Thanks for following use, and stay tuned!

Cooking in the Time of Quarantine

Staying home a lot more?  No restaurant meals in your future?  Don't just rely on your canned goods:

Quarantine is the perfect time to perfect your cooking skills.  And the Library can help.

Choose from any one of these online cook books, available for free from the Library Homepage:

The Cook's Decameron Study In Taste:  Containing Over Two Hundred Recipes For Italian Dishes

Recipes Every College Student Should Know

Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z

Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks,and Good Food

Notes on Cooking: A Short Guide to an Essential Craft

Hello from the Library Fish

Matt Todd, Dean of LTR, was on the Alexandria Campus today to make preparations for re-opening the Library in the Fall!

Willie wanted to give a shout-out to all his fans:

June is Pride Month

According to the Library of Congress:

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as "Gay Pride Day," but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the "day" soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

In 1994, a coalition of education-based organizations in the United States designated October as LGBT History Month. In 1995, a resolution passed by the General Assembly of the National Education Association included LGBT History Month within a list of commemorative months. National Coming Out Day (October 11), as well as the first "March on Washington" in 1979, are commemorated in the LGBTQ community during LGBT History Month.

Read more about it in these online books, available from the Library Homepage (search these titles in "Books & eBooks):

Pride Parades:  How a Parade Changed the World

Queering Tourism: Paradoxical Performances at Gay Pride Parades

Pride Parades and LGBT Movements: Political Participation in an International Comparative Perspective

(above:  Pride in the Alexandria Campus Library, taken June 2018)

What to Watch in Times of National Unrest

I Am Not Your Negro is a 2016 documentary films directed by Raoul Peck, based on James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript Remember This House.  Narrated by actor Samuel L Jackson the film explores the history of racism in the United States through Baldwin's reminiscences of civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King as well as his personal observations of American history, 

Did you know the Library subscribes to an online streaming service from which you can view hundreds of feature films, documentaries, and foreign films FOR FREE?  Click on the "Audio & Visual" tab on the Library homepage and select Kanopy (you will be asked to log in).to view the film for free.

Or read the companion book I Am Not Your Negro: A Companion Edition to the Documentary Film Directed by Raoul Peck.  Available online from the Library homepage, search under "Books & e-Books".

Reading in the time of COVID

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead dives into the life of two young men that have been sentenced to a reform school. The story intensifies when you add that the young men are African-American and living in the Jim Crow south. Whitehead’s latest installment is based on a real Tallahassee school that used cruel punishment, sexual abuse and other derogatory tactics in order to “reviatlze and reform” young men. The main character uses his understanding of the teachings from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to not just survive, but to live. Whitehead uses his voice to grapple at the readers thoughts as he brings you into the harrowing world of Elwood and Turner. This story isn't for the faint of heart, but it is a true account of America’s history. Fiction. Non-Fiction. Documentary. However you want to describe its genre, just know it is one that will leave you incredibly intrigued.

The Library Fish

Willie's Words; Roger's Renditions

Roger: "When I was young, all I would do is clean the tank from algae.  Now that I am older, I start liking fish food...even a little taste of my tankmates' scales every so often!"

Willie: "All I do is eat, eat and eat no matter what! I don't have a stomach so I don't know when I'm full.  I can literally eat myself to death so don't overfeed me!! "

Speaking of eating, some may be wondering how the Library Fish are being fed.  Heartfelt thanks to Campus Police and Campus Facilities who are looking in on the Library Fish and attending to their feeding.

May the Fourth Be With You

Happy Star Wars Day!

Celebrate May the Fourth by reading up on the Star Wars phenomenon.  These books are available online, for free.  Just search by title under the "Books and eBooks" tab on the Library homepage.

Sex, Politics, and Religion in Star Wars: An Anthology


Fan Phenomena: Star Wars

Star Wars on Trial: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Debate the Most Popular Science Fiction Films of All Time

Database of the Week

Stay tuned for continuing updates on the Library's online resources you can use from anywhere:

Database Review

PrepStep

PrepStep is a very unique database. It can be used to prepare for entering into college, advancing your career, increasing your computer skills and so much more. Users do need to log-in in order to fully use the service, but you can use any e-mail to do this. The range of services that are covered is quite remarkable. Students attending the Medical Education campus can use it to practice for the ATI Teas Exam and students enrolled in JumpStart may utilize it to learn about a career as they begin their college education. Overall, it is a resource that can be used in various stages of your education.

Readings in the Time of Virus

Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  Love in the the Time of Cholera.

The International Bestseller and modern literary classic by Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez

In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love. When Fermina eventually chooses to marry a wealthy, well-born doctor, Florentino is devastated, but he is a romantic. As he rises in his business career he whiles away the years in 622 affairs--yet he reserves his heart for Fermina. Her husband dies at last, and Florentino purposefully attends the funeral. Fifty years, nine months, and four days after he first declared his love for Fermina, he will do so again.

National Library Week

National Library Week (April 19 - 25, 2020) is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. From free access to books and online resources for families to library business centers that help support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries offer opportunity to all. The theme for National Library Week 2020 is " Find Your Place at the Library," and Olympic medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani will serve as 2020 National Library Week Honorary Chairs. 

As the impact of the COVID-19 crisis continues to evolve and change the work of libraries and library workers, libraries are proving resourceful and resilient, serving as a rich pipeline for content, delivering access to ebooks, movies, music, video games, virtual storytimes and activities, and so much more.

Just as libraries are pivoting in response to the current situation, the ALA is changing the focus of its annual National Library Week celebration, which will be held April 19-25, 2020. The theme for National Library Week (NLW) 2020, “Find your place at the library,” was chosen before the emergence of the global pandemic. To acknowledge our altered landscape, ALA flipped the script a bit on the theme. “Find the library at your place” highlights how libraries are offering virtual services and digital content their communities need now more than ever.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and observed in libraries across the country each April. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate.

The Library Fish

More updates from Willie and Roger!

Willie's Words; Roger's Renditions

Roger: "Did you know that I am not from China despite my name-Chinese Algae Eater?  I live in mountain lakes and streams in a large part of Thailand and some areas of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Borneo!"

Willie: "Did you know I can recognize faces?  I know who takes care of and feeds me and who works in the library!!  If I don't recognize you, I might not swim up or acknowledge you."

Readings in the time of coronavirus

Camus, Albert.  The Plague.

A haunting tale of human resilience and hope in the face of unrelieved horror, Albert Camus' iconic novel about an epidemic ravaging the people of a North African coastal town is a classic of twentieth-century literature. 

The townspeople of Oran are in the grip of a deadly plague, which condemns its victims to a swift and horrifying death. Fear, isolation and claustrophobia follow as they are forced into quarantine. Each person responds in their own way to the lethal disease: some resign themselves to fate, some seek blame, and a few, like Dr. Rieux, resist the terror.

An immediate triumph when it was published in 1947, The Plague is in part an allegory of France's suffering under the Nazi occupation, and a timeless story of bravery and determination against the precariousness of human existence.

Hear more about The Plague on School of Life's Youtube channel.

The Library Fish

While most of the Library faculty and staff are working remotely, our most beloved staff members are still holding down the fort at the Alexandria Campus Library:

Willie and Roger, the Library Fish!

Willie's Words; Roger's Renditions

Roger: "Did you know I am an extreme introvert?  I love being by myself and will be aggressive towards my own species if it's two or more of us in the same neighborhood."

Willie: "Did you know I will eat any fish that will fit in my mouth?  If you are smaller than me, stay away-one day you will be there, the next day-probably not!!"

Stay tuned for more updates from the Library Fish!

Readings in the time of Covid

Decameron

In the early summer of the year 1348, as a terrible plague ravages the city, ten charming young Florentines take refuge in country villas to tell each other stories - a hundred stories of love, adventure and surprising twists of fortune which later inspired Chaucer, Keats and Shakespeare. While Dante is a stern moralist, Boccaccio has little time for chastity, pokes fun at crafty, hypocritical clerics and celebrates the power of passion to overcome obstacles and social divisions. Like the Divine Comedy, the Decameron is a towering monument of medieval pre-Renaissance literature, and incorporates certain important elements that are not at once apparent to today's readers.

Read the Decameron free on line here!

Alexandria Campus Library During Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Thanks for visiting the Alexandria Campus Library blog at NOVA.  During this period of remote learning and support, NOVA is committed to ensuring that you receive the highest level of support needed.  Many questions you may have can be answered by reviewing NOVA's frequently asked questions.  For the most updated information on NOVA's response to COVID-19, please check the COVID-19 webpage regularly for updates.

Today NOVA transitioned to remote learning, which means instructional activities, administrative functions, and support services will mostly be delivered remotely.

If you are looking for Library services, please visit the Library Homepage to explore the many resources, services, e-books, online resources, and research guides available.

If you are looking for research help - don't worry!  Did you know NOVA's Libraries have provided online research assistance for many years and continue to do so.  For self-paced assistance, visit our online research guides where you can search for a specially created guide by NOVA librarians tailored to your subject, course, or assignment.  You can search by subject or by campus. 

If you would like to connect with a Librarian live, in real-time, check out our 24-7 online chat service LRCLive:  

Chat with a Librarian

A librarian is waiting to answer your questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week via live chat. This service is staffed by a cooperative network of member libraries, including NOVA.

For assistance with other services such as advising, enrollment, tutoring services and more, see our Remote Student Services page. 

Coronavirus

"Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans." (from the World Health Organization)

Read more about it:

Infectious Diseases: A Very Short Introduction.  RC111 W38x 

Pandemics: What Everyone Needs to Know.  RA651 D64

Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic.  RA639 Q38

Visit the Center for Disease Control for more information.

Remember many library resources are available to use remotely, including articles, e-books, research guides, and even real-time online research assistance via live 24-hour chat.

So even if you are feeling under the weather or are self-quarantined, your research doesn't need to stop!

Black History Month

How well do you know your Black History trail-blazers?

Come to the Library in February and try your hand at identifying these famous and/or important people in African American History:

Identify as many of these notables as you can and enter to win a prize!

King Charles the Martyr

Today is the commemoration of the martyrdom of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Read about this fascinating chapter in history:

Killers of the King: The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I  DA396 A22 367 2014

The Trial of Charles I: A Documentary History.  KD372 C53 T75 1989

A Coffin for King Charles: The Trial and Execution of Charles I DA396 A22 W4

President Office Hours

Dr Anne Kress, NOVA's new president, held office hours for the first time in the Alexandria Campus Library on Thursday January 23.

Dr Kress will be in the Library for open office hours each month:

Monday March 2: 12.00 - 2.00

Thursday April 2:  10.15 - 12.15

Monday May 4: 10.15- 12.15

Monday June 1: 10.15-12.15

All are welcome.  Please stop by!

After a Long Winter

After the winter break in December, and intersession in January (no classes), and a reduced start schedule in the first week of classes, and the college closure in observation of MLK day -- we're back!

 

Regular Library Hours resume today, January 21:

Monday - Thursday: 8.30am - 9.00pm

Friday: 8.30am - 5:00pm

Saturday & Sunday: closed

Please note the Open Computer Lab (room 332) is open on Saturdays from 9am - 4pm and can provide computers, internet, printing, and calculators).  The Woodbridge Campus Library is also open on Saturdays from 9am - 3pm