In New Orleans it's known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). But many people know it as Pancake Day:
Make pancakes!
And read up on Mardi Gras in these e-books:
Blues for New Orleans: Mardi Gras and America's Creole Soul
All on a Mardi Gras Day: Episodes in the History of New Orleans Carnival
Campus buildings and some campus services re-open to students beginning today, February 8th.
The Library will resume the same hours as Fall semester:
Monday - Thursday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Remote services continue and research services are available 24-7 via the Library Website.
Celebrate African American History Month with these online collections and exhibits from the Library of Congress, The National Archives, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and the U.S. Memorial Holocaust Museum.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of African American's contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The response was overwhelming: Black history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials to instruct their pupils; and progressive whites, not simply white scholars and philanthropists, stepped forward to endorse the effort.
By the time of Woodson's death in 1950, Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life and substantial progress had been made in bringing more Americans to appreciate the celebration. At mid–century, mayors of cities nationwide issued proclamations noting Negro History Week. The Black Awakening of the 1960s dramatically expanded the consciousness of African Americans about the importance of black history, and the Civil Rights movement focused Americans of all colors on the subject of the contributions of African Americans to our history and culture.
The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” That year, fifty years after the first celebration, the association held the first African American History Month. By this time, the entire nation had come to recognize the importance of Black history in the drama of the American story. Since then each American president has issued African American History Month proclamations. And the association—now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)—continues to promote the study of Black history all year.
(Excerpt from an essay by Daryl Michael Scott, Howard University, for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History)
Welcome to Spring 2021!
Once again, we enter a semester that does not quite look like a spring we've had before. Most classes will continue to be conducted remotely, and the Library will be offering remote services only until at least February 8th.
We're still here! We're just not here (see library reading room, above).
Library staff continue to work remotely, but all Library services, including ebooks and online journals, articles, and streaming video, and real-time online research help from a real, live Librarian via chat are available from the Library Homepage. 24 hours a day 7 days per week.
Come an (virtually) visit us!
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.
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!
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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)
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
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)
Or the election or 1876?
Read more about it online: American Political Parties and Elections: A Very Short Introduction. Available online at the NOVA Library.
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
October is worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Read our online biography of Ruth Bader Ginsberg:
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsberg
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)
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:
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.
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:
