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 

Keep Calm You Survived Exams

Final exams ended yesterday, December 16th.

Through the week of December 9 - 12 the Library was open an extra hour to provide more time to study.  139 students took advantage of Library services after 9pm, and a further 30 or so in the last hours of December 16th.

Thanks to all staff who donated study break snacks!

The Library will observe Intersession from December 17 - January 10.  Hours will be 8.30am - 5.00pm.

Exam Cram!

The Library will be open for an extra hour this week (December 9 - 12) closing at 10pm.

Study break snacks served at 9pm!

Study with us for Final Exams.

Sculptural chairs

Professor Gardner's Design students' sculptural chairs return to the library for an end-of-semester show:

Midsummer Night's Breeze

Handle with Chair

Mother Nature's Throne

Ready For My Close Up

Students in the Film Production course (part of the AFA Cinema program) brought the lights, camera and action to the Library this week:

Look for the Library's tarring role in a film coming soon!

Veterans Day

And Remembrance Day

On the 11th Hour, of the 11th Day, of the 11th Month.  The guns in France fell silent.

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.

Read more about it:

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

#FightFinished

From our friends at the National Gallery:

Finish(ed) the Fight!!

World Series, Baby!

The Washington Nationals secured the National League Championship and have advanced to the World Series (the first time a DC team has done so since 1933.

So let's show some Natitude and root, root, root for the home team!

And if you can pause from singing Baby Shark for just a few minutes, check out a book or two:

National Pastime: Sports, Politics, and the Return of Baseball to Washington DC. GV863 W18 S87

The Washington Nationals 1859 to Today: The Story of Baseball in the Nation's Capital. GV683 W18 F76

GO NATS!!!