April Star Employee: Or the Library Adventures of Gnorm the Gnome

Each month, based on nominations from the faculty and staff, Sullivan University-Lexington awards an employee with the “Star of the Month”. One of the “perks” of the award is the companionship of a gnome named Gnorm. The library’s own Hilary Writt is the recipient of the April Star, and Gnorm of course.

Since Gnorm will be an ex-officio member of the library staff during April, we thought that we would assign him with giving a tour of the Library and Learning Resources Center. Gnorm was quite happy to do this. In the days to come, watch for Gnorm in this blog, on our Facebook page, Twitter, and our NEW Pinterest Board.

Did You Say Pinterest?

That's right! The Sullivan University Library-Lexington campus is now on Pinterest.

Join us on Pinterest, where we gather things we love and find worth sharing, with a touch of personality and humor. We’ll pin great tips, tricks and techniques for research or your career, our latest books and much more. See you on Pinterest! This is another way to stay connected with your Library and learning Resources Center. What are you waiting for?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Spring Break Hours

Need a study break? How 'bout some trivia?

 











Women's History Month occurs during the month of March, and, just like last month when we did Facebook posts about Black History Month, the library will post trivia tidbits about famous women on our Facebook page. Each day the library will post a question, Jeopardy-style, about a famous female. The next day, the name of the person will be revealed and a new question posted.

For more information, check out these websites.

National Women's History Project
Women's History from the Library of Congress

Please enjoy!

Oscar Isn't the Only One

This past Sunday the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Oscars to the accomplished persons who, in various and sundry roles, create motion picture magic.

The Oscars aren't the only awards bestowed in a given year though of course. There are the more well-known awards like the Golden Globes, Emmys, Tonys, Grammys, the Nobel Prizes, and the Pulitzer Prizes, but really there are so many more accolades than these.

In the book world, there are the aforementioned Pulitzers and Nobels, along with the National Book Award, the Hugo Awards, the Edgar Awards,  the Eisner Awards, the James Beard and the IACP awards, and the Newbery and Caldecott awards, just to name a few. 

So what does all this talk about awards have to do with the library? The library owns some of the movies and books which won these famous awards, and these materials are available for use by students, faculty and staff. Not only does the library have specific award winners, it also contains materials produced by previous award-winning artists and writers.

How can you find the award-winning items at the Sullivan University library? The best way to locate the award winners is to search the library's catalog.  A search for James Beard Foundation Book Awards in the library's catalog, for example, came up with a list of titles including the following.  

  

     

• All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking by Molly Stevens; 641.77 S845a
• Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan; 641.8 G815ba
• Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs; 641.5929 C877s

To find other award-winning books or DVDs, do a keyword search in the library's catalog for the award (James Beard, Caldecott, Academy Award) and see what you get. If you need help finding one of the materials or if you want any other assistance, please don't hesitate to speak with one of the librarians. We will be glad to help you.

Black History Month-It's More than Just History

The month of February is set aside to celebrate black history, however, Black History Month is about more than just history. Stop by the library to see books, magazines, and DVDs about black people from the United States and around the world who have done and continue to do amazing things in the fields of medicine, business, culinary arts, politics, and the performing arts.

To learn even more about Black History month visit the library's Facebook page throughout the month of February. Each day the library will post a question, Jeopardy-style, about a famous African American. The next day, the name of the person will be revealed and a new question posted.

Want more info?  Click here for a lists of websites that have information about African Americans or Black History Month.

Paperback Book Swap at the Library

Wednesday, January 30  (week 5)

Trade a  paperback book for the chance to "dress down.” Students, faculty & staff that donate a book to the Sullivan-Lexington library on January 30th will earn the privilege of bypassing the customary Wednesday professional-dress requirement.  Donated books benefit the library's free paperback swap, which offers light reading materials to the university community.

I Wish I'd Known This Sooner. . .

Not only is it the beginning of a new year, it is the beginning of the winter quarter here at Sullivan University. While the quarter is still fresh take this opportunity to establish good study habits, get ahead on research projects, and to simply learn something new.

Authors Sheridan Scott, Anya Settle, and Nancy Allen have compiled tips from recent college graduates and current college students about what they wish they'd been told when they started school.

1. Don't skip class. (p. 4) Even if you did well on the first exam or you'd rather sleep in, make attending class a priority. If you miss a class you lose out on valuable learning, class discussions, points earned from pop-quizzes, and you will be affected by the attendance policy. Each and every class is important.
2. Take advantage of opportunities. (p. 15-16)
1. Talk with (and listen to) your instructors. They have had a variety of experiences, and you can learn a lot from them.
2. Sullivan University offers a student mentor program for first-quarter students. Each new student gets paired with a returning student who is here to guide and encourage that new student. Don't be afraid to ask your mentor if you have a question.
3. Get involved in campus organizations and any professional organizations that offer student memberships. Through campus and professional organizations you can meet other people who have the same interests as you, and you may be able to network with those working in your career field.
3. Find ways to motivate yourself. (p. 98) You made a committment to yourself to earn a college degree, which involves a lot of hard work and perserverance, so figure out what you need to do so that you can reach your goal.
4. Use the library. (p. 109) The library is so much more than a place to study. You can find  resources (both online and print) to help with your assignments, and the librarians will be glad to assist you with these resources. 
5. Be prepared by getting a head-start on assignments and setting up a good study environment with a place that has all you need (pens, paper, laptop, etc.). (p. 133)

If you want to read more advice from the students and recent grads, look in the book, Now You Tell Me!: 12 College Students Give the Best Advice They Never Got; 378.73 S429n. Check out these other titles on the subject too.

• Career Wisdom for College Students: Insights You Won't Get in Class, on the Internet, or from Your Parents by Peter Vogt; 331.702 V886c
• College Success Guaranteed: 5 Rules to Make It Happen by Malcolm Gauld; 378.198 G269c
• Lecture Notes: A Professor's Inside Guide to College Success by Philip Freeman;

One of the librarians will be glad to help you find any of these titles if you want to borrow them from the library. May this quarter be a successful one for you.  

December Break Hours 2012

Fortunately. . . Some Tips to Make Finals Week Easier

Fortunately, the end of the quarter is near, and a break is almost upon us. It's also the time of the quarter when the campus is all a-flutter with preparations for final exams. With next week being finals week the library wants to share some study tips that were provided by our own Academic Services department.

Advice for Studying and Prepping for Finals

• Don't put off studying for one more day. Procrastination does not prepare you for anything other than disappointment. Begin studying and preparing for your exams right now by studying your notes and other materials.
• Study in a quiet place.
• Make sure you are comfortable. If you are uncomfortable, then you probably won't be able to focus on studying.
• Keep a positive attitude about what you know and about the test itself. If you doubt your abilities before the test that can affect how well you do.
• Take some deep breaths and relax before the test so that you can be calm and your mind can be clear while taking the exam.
• Remember how prepared you are for the exam, and don't think about how much you don't know or can't remember. You've spent a lot of time studying and preparing. You can do it.

The library staff wants to wish each of you all the best with your final papers, projects, and exams. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The library will be OPEN :

Monday - Wednesday, 8am-5pm

November 19-21
           (closed 12-1 for lunch)

The library will be CLOSED :

Thursday - Sunday

November 22-25

Regular hours will resume 7:30am on Monday, November 26th.  

Have a wonderful

Holiday!

It's the Great Pumpkin (Pie) and Turkey, Charlie Brown

The Thanksgiving holiday, which is nearly here by the way, is often one of rememberance, time with family, and plenty of food.

The library has a cornucopia of Thanksgiving recipes to guide both the experienced chef and those just beginning their culinary pursuits. One can find recipes for the bread, the pie(s), and everything savory in between at the Sullivan University Library.

From the intriguing to the traditional, here are some recipes, and where to find them, for roast turkey and pumpkin pie. Scroll to the end of the post to see additional cookbooks from the library's collection.

Roast Turkey

• Basic Roast Turkey with Gravy-from All About Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art by Molly Stevens; 641.71 S845a
• Roast Turkey with Cornbread Stuffing and Gravy-from The Blackberry Farm Cookbook: Four Seasons of Great Food and the Good Life by Sam Beall; 641.5097 B366b
• Roast Turkey with Cream Gravy-from Gourmet magazine. Click on this link to see the full recipe.
• Roast Turkey with Root Vegetables and Gravy-from Saveur magazine, November 2010.

Pumpkin Pie and Variations

• Famous Pumpkin Pie-from Thanksgiving 101: Celebrate America's Favorite Holiday with America's Thanksgiving Expert by Rick Rodgers; 641.568 R691t
• Laura's Maple Pumpkin Pie-from Dishing Up Vermont: 145 Authentic Recipes from the Green Mountain State by Tracey Medeiros; 641.5974 M488d
• Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding with Bourbon Pecan Hard Sauce-from Food and Wine magazine, November 2012.
• Pumpkin Pie Croissant Pudding-from Food and Wine magazine, October 2011

Other Thanksgiving titles:

• Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie; 641.568 C798g
• Good Eats with Alton Brown: Deep Fried Thanksgiving; DVD 641.568 G646dft
• How to Cook a Turkey and All the Other Trimmings; 641.6659 H847
• Jacques Pepin's Thanksgiving Celebration; DVD 641.568 J19t
• Martha's Classic Thanksgiving; DVD 641.568 S851ct
• The New Thanksgiving Table; 641.568 M847n
• Thanksgiving 101: Celebrate America's Favorite Holiday with America's Favorite Expert; 641.568 R691t
• Thanksgiving Entertaining; 641.568 P218t
• Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well; 641.568 S573t
• The Thanksgiving Table; 641.568 M847t

Please ask one of the librarians if you need any assistance finding these Thanksgiving materials. We will be glad to help you. May you have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Join us for Mock Election voting

 October 25th from 8am to 8pm

Banned Books Week 2012

The year 2012 marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, and the Sullivan University Library and Learning Resource Center has observed this week with a book display and several Facebook posts.

What are banned books and why is the library promoting them?

A banned book has been removed from a library because of a successful challenge against its content.

A challenged book is one in which someone attempts to have it removed from the library or restrict where it can be shelved in the library.

The librarians at Sullivan University call attention to banned books and Banned Books Week to encourage students, faculty, and staff to think critically and to celebrate the freedom to read whatever book(s) they choose.

Several banned or challenged books are available for check-out in the Sullivan University library, so stop by the library today to borrow one or two of them. Ask one of the librarians if you need help finding one of the banned or challenged books or any other titles of interest.