Thursday, December 20, 2007

MDC Libraries Lead the Way with Ask a Librarian


The Miami Dade College News and Events newsletter reported in a recent article that MDC received the second highest rating for Ask a Librarian library usage among more than 45 academic institutions in the state of Florida. A study by Ask a Librarian found that almost 800 MDC students use the service.
Ask a Librarian is a free service that allows students to interact with a librarian online via chat or email to help answer reference and research questions. The service is available 24/7 through email and during specific hours through chat, and can be accessed through the North Campus Library's web page or here. Give it a try the next time you have a research assignment due!

Winter Break Schedule

The North Campus Library will be closed for winter break starting on Saturday, December 22, 2007, through Monday, January 7, 2008. The library will reopen on Tuesday, January 8, 2008, and will resume to regular library hours:
Monday-Thursday 7:45 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Friday 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Every Drop Counts

December's North Campus Library display focuses on water issues. Come visit the exhibit and learn about how human influence will affect water availability in coming decades, how we can manage water more effectively to prevent shortages, and much more. Created by librarian Bernadette Cardona, the exhibit will be on display throughout the month. For more information on water matters, visit the South Florida Water Management Distict web site or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water web site.

The North Campus Library is open Monday through Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

North's Recommended Reading List

Stuck on what to read next? Need some suggestions on a good title for your next assignment? Just come to the North Campus Library's Reference Desk and check out our new Recommended Reading List!

Compiled by librarian Bernadette Cardona, the brief yet comprehensive list is an annotated bibliography of both contemporary titles and classics that are sure to satisfy the need to read.

Titles are classified under categories such as biography, classics, horror and supernatural, multicultural fiction, romance, and more. All titles are available in our collection.

Some of the titles included are:

  • Beloved by Toni Morrison [MCN] BELOVED
  • Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama [MCN] DREAMS
  • Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury PS 3503 .R167 F3 1994
  • The Golden One by Elizabeth Peters [MCN] GOLDEN
  • Bag of Bones by Stephen King PS 3561 .I483 B34 1998
  • Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat PS 3554 .A5815 B74 1998
  • Hide & Seek: A Novel by James Patterson PS 3566 .A822 H53 1996
  • Prospero's Daughter by Elizabeth Nunez PS 3564 .U48P76 2006
  • Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Padker PS3616 .A335 D75 2003

...And much more! Stop by and have a look.

The North Campus Library is open Monday through Thursday 7:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Friday 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, call 305-237-1142.

December's Featured Reference Work

'Tis the season for gathering and eating. Read all about it in the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture by Solomon Katz.

From the CHOICE Review:
...This source (according to the introduction) is "an authoritative survey of the history, production, preparation, science and culture of food from prehistory to the present day." It supplies 725 articles by more than 300 contributors, ranging from anthropologists, food critics, and folklorists to historians and archaeologists. The table of contents is organized alphabetically by 27 topics that include staple foods, food consumption, regions and culture, diet, religion, feasts and festivals, and biographies. Each includes subtopics such as apples, snacks, Cajun cooking, weddings, dietary guidelines, food in the Bible, and Clarence Birdseye. The "Systematic Outline of Contents" again lists the 27 topics. Article lengths range from brief descriptions of a topic to essays several pages long. Most entries have bibliographies, which may be as long as a page; most have see also references. There are 200 maps, 800 black-and-white photographs, and in each volume, an eight-page color photo spread. Throughout the volumes are sidebars, time lines, tables, menus, and recipes. One can find, e.g., the importance of cassava, a recipe for muggety pie, the relationship of food to prehistoric societies, a list of popular snacks with their origin, and how to eat the foul smelling durian. An extensive index may be more useful than the table of contents to locate particular foods or cultures. Well researched and well written. Summing Up: Essential.
The three volumes of the Encylopedia for Food and Culture can be found at REF GT2850 .E53 2003.

Spotlight Database: Greenwood Digital Connection

Use the Greenwood Digital Collection database to read critical companions to your favorite authors' works and study guides to their greatest literary masterpieces.

From the description:

The Greenwood Digital Collection is a sophisticated research platform comprised of reference, academic and general interest e-books. Titles come from titles from Praeger, Greenwood Press, and Libraries Unlimited. This is not just a collection of PDF downloads, but complete texts — all searchable by keyword, subject, author, title, or any Boolean search method.

The North Campus Library offers this and over 100 more electronic databases for student use. These can be accessed from any Internet computer, even off-campus. All you need is your student ID number; the PIN is the last four digits. When in the library, ask the reference librarian how to use the databases, or call the reference desk at 305-237-1183 for assistance.