Follow us on Twitter

Many NMCC students already do follow us on Twitter.  If you haven't yet, give it a try.

Create a free Twitter account and follow NMCC Library.  We'll keep you posted with library news and information about events on campus.

NMCC Library on Twitter


http://twitter.com/NMCCLibrary

NMCC 50th Anniversary Celebration January 12, 2011

Get ready to celebrate!

On January 12th we'll be celebrating in the gym on campus and launching a year of celebration in honor of the college's 50th anniversary.

Details from a recent press release:

Activity on campus will begin shortly into the New Year with the start of the new semester, when the community is invited to join students, faculty, staff and alumni of NMCC, and its forerunners Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute and Northern Maine Technical College, for flashback to the early 1960’s. A sock-hop, complete with music and entertainment from the era, a noon time malt shop themed meal, and indoor drive-in theatre will be held in the NMCC Gymnasium on Wednesday, January 12, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

“We wanted to kick-off our celebration with a fun event that our students, employees and community members could all take part in and enjoy,” said Jason Parent, NMCC director of development and college relations and a member of the NMCC 50th anniversary celebration planning committee. “The idea of a sock-hop was developed as a way to celebrate the popular culture at the time of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s as the College came to be.”

NMCC 50th Anniversary

The College's 50th anniversary begins in 2011.  The legislation to establish the school was signed in 1961.  A kick off celebration will be held on January 12, 2011 in the gym.  We'll have a big 1960's themed party.  So get out your poddle skirt, cat-eye glasses, saddle shoes and join us.  Lunch and games in the gym.   Think late 50's and early 60's.

If you want to sing or perform, contact Jason Parent or Betsy Harris.  Or just stop into the library and let us know what you would like to do and we'll relay the information.  If you have any memorabilia you would like to display from the 50's or 60's, contact the Development Office.

Come and be part of the fun!   The celebration begins at 11:00 am.

National Christmas Tree Ornaments By State

Here are some great photos of the ornaments created for each state for the National Christmas Tree.

Note that Maine's ornament is a library!

University Times from University of Maine at Presque Isle

We always pick up copies of the student newspaper, University Times, from the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI).  Whenever possible, we try to have a stack of them in the library.

The November 19th issue has a very interesting article by Jim Stepp on finding astronomy information.   Jim is the Assistant Dean of Students and the Director of Residential Life at UMPI.  Jim has always had an interest in astronomy and writes about it often.  His articles are always interesting and enlightening.  In this one, he mentions many astronomy sites that I thought would be of interest to NMCC students. I contacted Jim and with his permission I am posting some of the sites mentioned in his article.



Astronomy Calendar

Sunrise Sunset Calculator

Skymaps

Space weather

Space News

Space Imagery

New books shelf

Stop by the library and scan the new book shelf.  Make a request. Let us know what you would like to see in the library.

Campus Closed Today Due to Weather

Classes are canceled today (December 6th) at NMCC due to the weather.  This includes day, evening, and Husson classes held on NMCC campus. 

Presque Isle Webcam

If you can't make it to the Light Parade on Sunday night, take a look at it via this webcam

Annual Presque Isle Light Parade Rescheduled

The Presque Isle Light Parade has been rescheduled to Sunday, December 5th.  The parade begins at North Street at 6 pm and heads up Main Street.  The route ends at University of Maine at Presque Isle.  If you have never seen the Light Parade, it is an amazing site.  There are many beautiful floats and brightly decorated trucks.  Everyone has a great time at the parade.  Various groups and agencies hand out toys and books to children throughout the route.  NMCC has partnered with ACAP to collect gently used children's books to distribute along the parade route.  Special thanks to all community members, businesses, and service organizations that donated books, time, and funds to support the project.

It's a wonderful event.  Make plans to attend and you'll be glad you did.

One Book One College Discussion Group

Join us in the Edmunds Conference Center on November 19th at noon for a discussion on the book Here If You Need Me. 

Lunch will be provided.

One Question to Many Students

How do you use the library?

We think we know, but we'd like to hear from you.

Traditional books versus digital books

Our library has both print and e-books and the combination meets the needs of everyone who visits the library (online or in person).  There are some people who love the physical book and will never read an e-book.  There are others who find that e-books and e-readers are perfect for them.  Then, there are those who use both depending on the situation.

Here are a few links for additional reading.  To the student writing the research paper on Kindle Versus the Book, be sure to do a few searches in the library databases to find additional articles.

The Whither and Why of Books

Of Two Minds About Books via NYT

Library of America Story of the Week

When you have some time, take a look at the Library of America's Story of the Week.

Wikipedia - What you know and don't know about it

Let's all be honest here.  You use Wikipedia all the time.  Why wouldn't you? It's fast and easy and you are happy with the results.  But, your instructors tell you not to use it and not to cite it in your research (unless you are writing a paper about Wikipedia).

So, what are you going to do?  First, understand that you can get a nice overview of a topic by reading an article.  You can also look at the links at the bottom of the page such as, references, external sources, further readings, primary sources, scholarly studies, etc.  Take some time to look at these.  Look for sites with .gov, .edu, .org extensions.  Visit those sites and read and learn more on the topic.

Once you have a better understanding of your topic, then visit the library page and use the databases to locate scholarly or peer reviewed articles.  On the library webpage you'll also find links for ebooks.  Take a minute and locate one you can use.  Now you have several sources and you can begin working on your paper.

Want to read what Jimmy Wales the founder of Wikipedia says about using it in your research?  Read more here.

Here's one quote by Jimmy Wales from the article in the Chronicle of Higher Education:

“For God sake, you’re in college; don’t cite the encyclopedia."

Items to loan

For all NMCC Students

The library has the following new items to loan:  iPad, Sony Reader, laptops.

Stop by the circulation desk.

Ebooks and Audiobooks via MaineInfoNet

Want a good read?  Try the ebooks and audio books and let us know how you like them.


Visit the library page or click here.

Whoopie Pies

They are everywhere in Maine.  Everyone seems to have their favorite recipe. They are huge and sugary and delicious.  They come in a variety of flavors.  You can bake big ones or mini whoopies.  They make the best gifts for friends and relatives out of state.  The ultimate Maine comfort dessert.

Stop by the library and take a look at this new book,  Making Whoopies: The Official Whoopie Pie Book by Nancy Griffin.

Read about the history of whoopies and much more.

Maine Warden Service

Here If You Need Me / One Book One College Read this semester

As part of our One Book One College program, here are some links for further information about the Maine Game Warden Service.


History

Warden Service

Job Description and Requirements

In the Line of Duty  Down East Article  (Maine Game Warden Neal Wykes of Naples)

A mystery that includes game wardens, The Poacher's Son.

Search Engine

Whatever search engine you use, take a minute and read the search tips or help page.

It will help you learn how to search faster and smarter and locate what you need in record time.

For Google start here.

For Bing start here.

Primary versus Secondary sources

Do you know the difference between a primary and secondary source of information?

If not, watch this video clip.

One Book One College

For those currently reading Kate Braestrup's book Here If You Need Me:

A nice video interview with Kate.

We will be meeting in the Edmunds Conference Center on Friday, November 19th at noon for a group discussion.   A light lunch will be served.

Try New OneSearch

Try this new OneSearch feature.  In a single search you will find items in Marvel, MaineCat, and more.

Info Lit Tip #1

Boolean Operators

AND  /  OR  /  NOT


Check out the Boolean Machine to see how they work.

Read this ProQuest handout on Boolean operators.

Boolean searching info from Library of Congress.

Boolean operators are used in your searches to narrow (AND), broaden (OR), and refine your search by excluding items (NOT).

Come to one of the library's information literacy workshops to learn more.

See additional examples here.

Banned books in academic libraries

Every year the American Library Association celebrates Banned Books Week to raise awareness of bans and challenges to books. 

Banned Books Week was celebrated this year from September 25th - October 2nd.  Annually libraries offer creative displays, presentations, and new methods to educate about censorship, book challenges, and explain why free societies should have access to all points of view.  Intellectual freedom is a requirement in a free society and allows us all access to a wide variety of available information.  Even when information is unpopular or not within our personal belief system, it is important that we not censor information for others.


View this ALA Chart:  Number of Challenges by Year, Reason, Initiator, & Institution

It is interesting to note that there were only 29 challenges to academic libraries.  Academic institutions encourage diversity of ideas and exposure to many perspectives and points of view. 

View ALA's Frequently Challenged Books of the 21st Century

The issue of intellectual freedom and access to information will always be one that is discussed, reviewed, and challenged at times.  Every library has a policy to deal with challenged materials.  Every patron has a right to make their objections known.  Every reader in our society has a right to the information they want or need. 
Libraries make it possible to uphold the ideals of intellectual freedom and to provide access to information without the filter of censorship. 

One particularly interesting case is that of the Pernkopf Anatomy Atlas and medical libraries.  You can read an article about this here.

Careers in Wind Energy

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics Green Jobs section information on careers in wind energy:

Read more here.

Using Google Wonder Wheel

Using Google Wonder Wheel

Step by Step Procedure

Google

We all search Google every day. Most everyone thinks they are experts at searching.   Test your knowledge and abilities by reviewing some of the information posted below.   Here are some links where you might learn something new about Google.  If any of this information is new to you, then share it with a friend.    Better yet, come to one of the information literacy workshops in the library this semester and learn more about searching.

Google Guide


Google Search Basics


Google WonderWheel






Do you have a favorite Google tip to share?  Post it here.

Finding Information on genetic diseases

For the students in Greg Thompson's Biology 114 class.  This will get you started on your research for genetic diseases/disorders. 

Medline Plus Genetics Disorder Page

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/geneticdisorders.html

NORD National Organization for Rare Diseases

http://www.rarediseases.org/

Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases Mt. Sinai Hospital

http://www.mssm.edu/jewish_genetics/

American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy

http://www.asgt.org/

Gene Tests University of Washington

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/GeneTests/?db=GeneTests

National Human Research Genome Institute

http://www.genome.gov/

Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) Family Support Group

http://www.msud-support.org/

National Newborn Screening and Genetics Center

http://genes-r-us.uthscsa.edu/

National Urea  Cycles Disorder  Foundation

http://www.nucdf.org/

Save Babies Through Screening Foundation

http://www.savebabies.org/

American Society of Human Genetics

http://www.ashg.org/

Genetic Alliance

http://www.geneticalliance.org/

March of Dimes Birth Defects

http://www.marchofdimes.com/

National Society of Genetic Counselors

http://www.nsgc.org/

Chicago Center for Jewish Genetic Disorders

http://www.jewishgenetics.org/

Chromosome Disorder Outreach

http://www.chromodisorder.org/CDO/

Madisons Foundation

http://www.madisonsfoundation.org/

Progeria Research Foundation

http://www.progeriaresearch.org/

Alpha 1 Association

http://www.alpha1.org/

Alpha-1 Foundation

http://www.alpha-1foundation.org/

NIH Office of Rare Diseases Research

http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/

National Tay Sachs & Allied Diseases Association, Inc.

http://www.ntsad.org/

NINDS Tay Sachs

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/taysachs/taysachs.htm

NINDS Huntingtons

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/huntington/huntington.htm

Huntingtons Disease society of America

http://www.hdsa.org/

NINDS Pompe Disease  (acid maltase deficiency, glycogen storage disease)

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pompe/pompe.htm

Association for Glycogen Storage Disease

http://www.agsdus.org/

NLM Genetics Home Reference

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/

Genetic and Rare conditions Site

http://www.kumc.edu/gec/support/

Genetic Alliance

http://www.geneticalliance.org/

Orphan Net (Rare diseases and orphan drugs)

http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/index.php

Genetic Medicine.org

http://www.searchnut.com/?domain=www.geneticmedicine.org

OMIM Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=OMIM

Genome.gov

http://www.genome.gov/10001204

National Human Genome Research Institute

http://www.genome.gov/10001204

BOOKS
Start with the ebooks collection on the library webpage.

Check the following books in the library and search our online catalog for books on specific genetic disorders.

Genetic Disorders Sourcebook    REF RB 155.5 G455 2000

Merck Manual REF RC 55 M4 2006

Physicians’ Guide to Rare Diseases  REF RC 69 P49 1992

NORD Guide to Rare Disorders (National Organization for Rare Disorders) REF RC 48.8 385 2003

DATABASES

Visit the library webpage and click on the databases link

Click on Stat Ref and enter your search term

You can also search within individual titles such as AAFP Conditions A-Z, Merck Manual, Mayo Clinic Internal Medicine Review, and ACP Pier & AHFS DI Essentials.

Also search within nursing and health databases for the specific disease/condition.

Check out some local blogs

One of our favorites in Northern Maine is Northern Maine Birds.

There are some wonderful photographers who contribute photos to this blog.

If you are stuck inside on a rainy day, this blog will cheer you up.

College Yearbooks Online

The college yearbooks are online.   We hope to add other college photos and documents in the coming year. 

If you have NMCC memorabilia you would like to share, we would enjoy hearing from you.  We are especially interested in old photos and college documents.   Contact Gail Roy in the library. 

Saturday Hours

We are trying to get the word out.  This semester the library is open on Saturdays from 12-4.  NMCC student Robert Sheldon is staffing the library.  Stop by and take advantage of the library and media center.  Last semester we were closed due to budget cuts.  On the student survey everyone said they wanted Saturday hours.
We are happy to be open again on Saturdays to give students greater access to library resources.

The library and media center will be open all semester on Saturdays from 12-4.  Hope to see you!

Find Everything New on Google

Google New is one place to look for everything new on Google.

This is great for those who want to see the latest features and enhancements.

Take a look for yourself and see if this is something you like.

Library Information Desk

Now this is a desk!   What a great project.

Check out these great photos of this library information desk.

How to Locate Books and More in the Library

Want to find out what is on the library shelves?  Then search the online catalog.
You can do a title, author, keyword, or subject search.   If you can't locate what you need, stop by the circulation desk and we'll help.

We also have a link for ebooks on the library webpage.  If you need a book and you are in a hurry, click on the Ebrary link and search for a book on your topic.  To do this from home you'll need to enter your 14 digit barcode at the bottom of your student ID.

Saturday Hours!

The library and media center will be open on Saturdays from 12-4 this semester.  Stop by and work in a relaxed atmosphere where you can concentrate without interruptions.


Robert and Nate are staffing the library today.  If you have questions, they can help you.

Closed Monday September 6th

The library will be closed on Monday, September 6th.  Enjoy the long weekend.

Library opens at 7:30 on Tuesday.  See you then!

Getting books fast

Your paper is due and you need a pile of books before the weekend. You can't find anything on the shelves and you don't have time for inter-library loan.  You need ebooks!  We have them.

Check out the new Ebrary collection on our webpage.  You can use them on campus and offsite.  To login off campus just use your NMCC 14 digit ID.

We need your feedback. Contact the librarians and let us know if you like them and if you would like to see our ebook selection expanded.



Ebrary Ebooks - Community College Collection

NMCC Library on Facebook

We need you to find us on Facebook!

Search Northern Maine Community College Library.

Get your new student ID in the library

New and returning students will need to stop by the library to get a new ID. Be sure to have a photo form of ID (driver's license, etc.) with you. You can also get a copy of your schedule and book list at the library. You will need these before heading to the bookstore.

Avoid the lines and stop by soon.

Welcome to Campus!

Nursing Program Orientation is today from 8-3. Welcome to all new nursing students. Come and visit the library. Use the databases from home. Get the information you need for your projects.
Need help? See Kim or Gail in the library.

The library has two study rooms that can be reserved. The library has wireless. It's a great place to work.

Coming soon.......... Saturday hours from 12-4.

Great library video

Things that make librarians smile!

Via Chronicle of Higher Education:

Check out this great video.

You might want to first view the Old Spice Guy library video.

Why not show your love for our library and send us something creative telling everyone why you love the library.

Pam Crawford Art Exhibit at Wintergreen Arts Center

NMCC instructor Pam Crawford Art Exhibit

At Wintergreen Arts Center

From their website:

An opening reception for mixed-media artist Pam Crawford will be held on Friday, July 2, 2010 from 7-9 pm at the Wintergreen Arts Center. The public is invited to celebrate her opening party and other First Friday Art Walk events held that evening. Her work will be on display in the Barresi Financial Gallery at the Wintergreen Arts Center at 149 State Street in Presque Isle from July 2 through the July 30, 2010. 20% of all sales of work from this exhibit will be donated to the Wintergreen Arts Center.

Library Orientations

Depending on how you view it, library tours and orientations can be stimulating and fun or depressing and boring. At NMCC library we try to make it fun while sharing valuable information you will need to complete class assignments and write your papers.

We really hope that your first visit to the library is enjoyable and that we make you feel comfortable enough to come back often to ask for assistance and to find additional information you'll need to complete your school projects.

Librarians love to help students and we are always interested in the wide variety of topics for student projects. When we work with students, we get to learn something new each day. That is the fun part of our job.

Stop by and let us show you how we can help and how you can learn to be a better searcher and find the information you need. Honestly, this is not your grandmother's library. Libraries today are great resources and we hope you will take advantage of all the library has to offer you.

New CINAHL Search Features

Ebsco just announced a new search limit feature. Now search results can be limited to "nurse as author." This is great news and will be very useful to nursing students. Next time you are using CINAHL check out this new feature. If you have questions, contact a librarian for help.

From Ebsco Support Site:

How do the “written by a nurse” limiters limit my result set in CINAHL products?

---

There are two limiters of this variety:

• First Author is Nurse – If this limiter is applied, then you will only retrieve records where it is confirmed that the first author of an article is a nurse, according to credentials noted in the article.

• Any Author is Nurse – If this limiter is applied, then you will only retrieve records where at least one author is a nurse, according to the credentials noted in the article.

The written by a nurse limiter applies to records from 2009 and forward. Credentials include RN, BSN, MSN, or appropriate degree. As this limiter pertains to non-U.S. journals, the credentials include licensed nurse or appropriate nursing degree in the particular country.

Wikipedia

Episode 72: Wikipedia's Co-Founder Calls for Better Information Literacy

Listen to Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia talk about the pros and cons of using this online encyclopedia.

From the Chronicle of Higher Ed: "Jimmy Wales, a co-founder of Wikipedia, sits down with the Tech Therapy team to discuss the best—and worst—ways to use the online encyclopedia in teaching and research. And he challenges traditional newspapers to adopt some of Wikipedia's practices."

Click here to download and listen.

Turner Library Donation

The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library just received a generous donation for a library expansion.

See the complete article in the Bangor Daily News.

This is wonderful news and our community is very grateful to the donor.

Apply for a passport or passport card

Did you know that the E. Perrin Edmunds library at Northern Maine Community College is an official passport acceptance agent? You can apply for your passport or passport card at the library

Learn more here.

Stop by the library for forms and additional information.

One College - One Book

WE NEED YOUR INPUT!

This fall the library will lead a one book reading program. We need your assistance in selecting the book. If you have a favorite read that you think will be great for our project, post a comment and share your ideas.

We are considering the following titles: Three Cups of Tea, Choosing Civility, and The Last Lecture.

Share your thoughts and help us pick a title that everyone will enjoy reading.

Details will follow later this summer.

Digitizing College Documents

This summer the library will begin to scan many of the documents in the college archives and put them online for easy viewing and access.

With the help and support of Robert Smith in the IT department and NMCC student Robert Sheldon we have already scanned and placed some yearbooks online.

We recently scanned the 1964-1965 catalog for Northeastern Maine Vocational Institute. These catalogs provide a wealth of information about school during that time. Here are some interesting highlights:

• Room and board was $12.75 per week.
• Books and other supplies and deposits cost an estimated $60 - $80 per year
• Tuition per semester $123.50 In State $211.00 Out of State

Over the course of the summer we will be adding information and linking it on the college website.

Stay tuned for updates.

Book Signings @ Turner Public Library

June is a great month for author talks and book signings and the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library will be hosting three authors on the dates below.

NMCC students and recent grads are encouraged to attend. It will be interesting, fun, and you may find a new author that you'll enjoy reading. Plus, there will be no test at the end of the talk.

So, take some time for you and relax a little and visit the public library on any or all of the dates below. You'll be glad you did.

Also, your NMCC student ID allows you to get a library card at the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library and at the University of Maine at Presque Isle Library.


June 3rd from 6-7, Gordon Hammond
Leaving Home and other tales of the heart

June 15th, 11am and 6pm, author Tim Caverly

An Allagash Haunting: The Story of Emile Camille

June 25th, 6pm, Richard Shain Cohen

Author of The Forgotten Longfellow: Man in the Shadows

Free History Podcasts

Free history podcasts from the Gildern Lehrman Institute of American History.

http://www.gilderlehrman.org/historians/podcasts/

Creative Writers Reading Series

Join us in the library at noon on Thursday, April 29th for the final session in the reading series.

Fiction with Shonna Milliken Humphrey

Shonna Milliken Humphrey holds an MFA from Bennington College and is the executive director of the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance. Her work has appeared in national anthologies, as well as in regional publications. Her first novel, Show Me Good Land, will be published in April 2010 by Down East Books, kicking off the new Maine literature line from the publisher. A native of Aroostook County, she now lives in southern Maine.

Want to learn a foreign language?

Visit the library page and click on downloadable audiobooks. Here you'll find a wonderful selection of fiction & non-fiction titles. Check out the foreign language audiobooks.

Contact the library if you need help getting set up or downloading the books.

http://tinyurl.com/24bh2hb

Rooms to reserve in the library

We are nearing the end of the semester and everyone wants a comfortable & quiet place to study.
The library is a great place to come to get your work done. There are no interruptions and the space is always open, sunny, and welcoming. We have two private study rooms that can be reserved in advance. The rooms are perfect for group study and private study. Stop by and reserve a room today.

Saturday Hours

You told us you want them. So..............

The library and media center will be open on the following Saturdays:

Stop by on April 24th, May 1st, and May 8th from 12-4 and get some work done.

We're hoping that we get a huge response to Saturday hours. Contact the library with your thoughts, comments, and suggestions.

But what about Fair Use?

Yep, you are right. Fair Use plays an important role in copyright. But, you still need to know the rules and the restrictions.

Read more here:

Fair Use University of Texas

US Copyright Office Fair Use

Copyright & Public Domain Chart from Cornell

Copyright & Fair Use Stanford University Libraries

Fair Use & Copyright Center for Social Media / American University

Listen, this is important

You cannot simply take information and use it any way you wish. Most times, there are restrictions and contracts with rules of use and limitations.

Our downloadable audiobooks provides information on rights listing what the user can and cannot do with this material.

Our library, along with many other Maine libraries, purchases a subscription to the Maine InfoNet downloadable audiobooks through Overdrive. You can learn more about our free audiobooks here.

When the library subscribes to content, whether print, audio, or digital, we agree to certain use restrictions. If you are ever in doubt and have any questions about whether or not you are using information in a legal and ethical manner, just contact us.

As one example, you'll see the following information below each audiobook when you get ready to download:

OverDrive WMA Audiobook
Burn to CD:	Permitted
Transfer to device:	Permitted
Transfer to Apple® device:	Permitted
Public performance:	Not permitted
File-sharing:	Not permitted
Peer-to-peer usage:	Not permitted
All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.

This is not merely a suggestion. It is a requirement and we have agreed to it. As users of our library, you must comply in order to use these resources legally and ethically.

Remember, it isn't just audio downloads. Copyright and other restrictions set by vendors, publishers, and copyright holders apply to journals, books, online art, and pretty much anything that was not created by you. When in doubt, ask. There are always exceptions (e.g., most government sites let you use their content copyright free, Creative Commons license & material, and anything where the owner has posted their permission for it to be used).

If you really need to use information a certain way, you can contact the copyright holder to request permission. Not sure how? Contact us.

Stated very simply, if it is not yours, don't take it without first investigating the right way to use the content.

We Love Robert Frost!

Bangor Daily News Story about Frost Fest!

Thanks to everyone who participated, volunteered, and worked to make Frost Fest a success.

Thanks!

Special thanks to the NMCC student who made me aware of a rogue library page with incorrect library hours. We thought we had fixed that page a long time ago. Yet, it still lingered somewhere. Feedback from students like this is so very helpful and we really, really, appreciate it.

IT jumped in and saved the day. The page should be permanently gone and the correct info is available on the library page link under hours.

Need to learn more about the library? Visit our page.

Speaking of hours, the library will be open the last three Saturdays of the semester from 12-4.

The library and media center will be open on April 24th, May 1st, and May 8th from 12-4.

As you know, we needed to cut weekend hours in response to a critical budget reduction last year. We are reviewing the need for weekend hours and hope to restore them in the future. Everything does hinge on the budget and the economic outlook for higher education in our state. We know this has been frustrating at times for students and we appreciate your patience and understanding. These are trying financial times in our world economy and we all need to make difficult choices.

Even when the library is closed, you have access to many online resources from our library web page.

Check out our IM reference, downloadable audiobooks, Facebook, Twitter, and library blog.

We also have databases, Noodlebib, and an online catalog where you can search our materials and make your own inter-library loan requests. If you accessing databases and Noodlbib from home, you will need user name/passwords or the barcode from your student ID. If you need help or information, contact us.

We appreciate feedback, comments, and corrections. Anytime you notice a problem with the library pages, please feel free to let us know. If you want to talk about any library issue, we welcome your input. It's your library. You should feel really comfortable here and it's our job to make sure you do.

If you have any issue, please stop by my office or email or call (Gail Roy, Assistant Dean of Learning Resources). If you prefer, use IM or try out our new text reference service. While we are sometimes limited by the size of our budget and staff, we try to offer new services and materials to meet student needs. Every now and then we even manage to exceed needs and that is always the true goal.


Hope everyone has a wonderful break!

Government Spending Information

Transparency and Accountability in Government

Here are two sites that may be useful if you are working on a paper and looking at Maine spending or government spending.

MaineOpenGov.org

Description from their site

"Welcome to MaineOpenGov.org - giving Mainers a clear look into how Maine government spends their hard-earned tax dollars, down to the agency, person and penny. MaineOpenGov.org is sponsored by The Maine Heritage Policy Center, a non-partisan and non-profit think tank located in Portland, Maine."

"MaineOpenGov.org gives Maine taxpayers an unbiased look at raw spending data, provided directly by official government sources. It is designed to be a tool used by Mainers to research, analyze, compare and share government spending data."

USA Spending.Gov

From their site,

Where Americans Can See Where Their Money Goes

"Have you ever wanted to find more information on government spending? Have you ever wondered where Federal contracting dollars and grant awards go? Or perhaps you would just like to know, as a citizen, what the Government is really doing with your money."

Break Week

Break week is coming!!

Why not download some free audiobooks to listen to over break. Visit the library webpage and click on the audiobooks link.

You can download on campus or from home. Take some time to try it and contact the library if you have questions or need help.

Read the quick start guide for an overview.

FrostFest, FrostFest, FrostFest

NMCC campus will be celebrating Robert Frost's birthday this Friday, March 26th from 12-2 in the Edmunds Conference Center on campus. Lots of activites planned. Come and show your love of poetry and join in the celebration.

Frost Fest 2010!

Read the press release here.

Stop by and view works of art based on a Frost poem.

Read some of his poems online here.

APA Style

Nursing papers are due soon and everyone on campus has APA questions this week.

One of the new items in APA style is the digital object identifier (DOI).

From DOI.org: "The Digital Object Identifier (DOI®) System is for identifying content objects in the digital environment. DOI® names are assigned to any entity for use on digital networks. They are used to provide current information, including where they (or information about them) can be found on the Internet. Information about a digital object may change over time, including where to find it, but its DOI name will not change.
The DOI System provides a framework for persistent identification, managing intellectual content, managing metadata, linking customers with content suppliers, facilitating electronic commerce, and enabling automated management of media. DOI names can be used for any form of management of any data, whether commercial or non-commercial. "

Digital object identifer definition.

The APA blog has a good explanation and some helpful tips on how to locate the DOI.

Crossref

Free DOI Lookup

DOI Primer on APA Blog

DOI URL FLowchart

What is a DOI video

Have questions? Need help? Come and talk with a librarian.

Poet Laureate Kay Ryan

Poet Laureate Kay Ryan to Hold Videoconference With Community College Students on April 1

Kay Ryan speaks about community colleges

Poetry for the Mind's Joy

From the Library of Congress site:

"U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan will anchor a one-hour videoconference from the Library of Congress on April 1 to highlight Community College Poetry Day across the country.

The videoconference and the day-long campus poetry festivities are part of Ryan’s "Poetry for the Mind’s Joy" project, sponsored by the Library in collaboration with the Community College Humanities Association (CCHA). Individual campuses are planning poetry readings, discussions, slams and other activities."

Career How To Guides

From Wall Street Journal

Career How to Guides


How to Stand Out From the Competition
How to Identify Industries That Are Hiring
How to Make the Most of a Furlough

How to Fine-Tune Your Résumé
How to Write a Résumé
How to Protect Your Privacy When Job Hunting
How to Write a Cover Letter
How to Avoid a Layoff
How to Find a Career Coach
How to Find Companies With Flexible Work Arrangements

How to Prepare for a Job Interview
How to Say Thanks After an Interview
How to Discuss Career Setbacks in an Interview
How to Negotiate Salary

How to Get a Raise
How to Ace a Performance Review
How to Change Careers
How to Work From Home
How to Become Your Own Boss

How to Recover From a Bad Performance Review
How to Deal With a Bully of a Boss
How to Handle Office Politics
How to Quit a Job

How to Search for a Job Online
How to Work a Career Fair
How to Network Your Way to a Job

NMCC Job Fair March 11th

Get ready for the largest job fair in the County!

The public is invited to the NMCC Job Fair to be held on March 11th from 9 am - 1 pm in the gymnasium on campus.

This is the 13th annual NMCC Job Fair and there will be 45 businesses participating.

Everyone is encouraged to stop by and visit the booths. If you are looking for a job, this is a wonderful way to meet prospective employers and drop off your resume. Even if you aren't looking for a job, it will be fun to attend and visit the booths.

Too tired to read?

Sometimes you just don't have the time to sit and read. Maybe you are just too tired. But, you can always load audio books onto your MP3 or iPod and listen while you are doing other things or just lying around on the couch.

Check out some new titles from our free downloadable audio books. All you need is your student or faculty/staff ID and you can begin downloading from home. You can also burn to CD for convenient listening in your car.

Some instructors will even let you use audio books as part of your research process. Doing a paper on global warming? Find a title by clicking the link below.

Downloadable Audio Books

Modular Origami

Everyone loves origami. But, have you ever seen modular origami? The University of Maine Presque Isle will be hosting a display and free workshops given by Eva Szillery.

Click here to learn more and see some amazing examples of modular origami.

Read more from the press release from University of Maine Presque Isle:

http://www.umpi.edu/files/home/pdf/modular-origami.pdf


EVA SZILLERY obtained her Ph.D. in Mathematics in Hungary
at the prestigious Eotvos Lorand University. She started folding
modular origami as an application for the teaching of mathematics.
Szillery is the Director of the Maine Junior Engineering
Technical Society [MJETS] and the State Director of the American
Mathematics Competitions. She is also the founder of the
Maine Origami Society. In 2005, Szillery received the University
of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation Educator Recognition
Award for Programming Excellence for her work with the
MJETS and the Maine Mathematics, Science and Engineering
Talent Search programs.

What is Modular Origami?
Modular origami involves several identically folded paper units
(or modules) assembled into a finished model. Modular origami
is really geometric modular origami, often polyhedral geometric
origami. As you can see from the examples on display, the external
appearance of this origami is artistic, often floral. It’s hard to
believe that any geometry is involved in the construction. However,
most models are based on the Platonic or Archimedean
solids, others on fractals or Hyperbolic paraboloids. In fact, there
is an easy way to fold an approximation to a (partial) hyperbolic
paraboloid out of paper.

Urban Legends

We have a stack of new urban legends books on display in the library.
Come on by and take a look. Definitely something fun to read when you're on break.

In Search of Maine Urban Legends / Emeric Spooner
Book of Urban Legend / Rodney Dale
Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid / Jan Harold Brunvand
The Choking Doberman / Jan H. Brunvand
Urban Legends / A.S. Mott
The Vanishing Hitchhiker / J. H. Brunvand
Encyclopedia of Urban Legends / Jan Harold Brunvand
The Big Book of Urban Legends / Jan Harold Brunvand

Why blog?

Every day I read several blogs. I read them because they are either interesting, funny or informative. Some I read just for pure fun.

People blog because they have something to say and they want to write for an audience. If you are thinking of creating your own blog, it is extremely easy to do. You can use Blogger or Wordpress or any of the many other blog tools available.

The word blog comes from the term "web log" which was coined in 1977 by Jorn Barger. "Blog" was coined by Peter Merholz.

Here are some of my favorite blogs:

Maya Lukas Liam & Librarian

Northern Maine Birds

Awful Library Books

Food Librarian

Maine Library Association

Louise Penny

Turner Library Teen

Mashable

White House

So, go ahead, and create your own blog today. Select a topic of interest to you and start posting. It's easy and you may find that you gain a devoted audience who reads you daily.

To help you get started:

Common Craft Blogs in Plain English

How to Create a Blog with Blogger

Time's Best Blogs of 2009

How To Blog Almost Every Day / Chris Brogan

Tinman Gets a New Look!

His old T-shirt was a bit worn and faded and Tinman wasn't looking his best. Then, a mystery donor leaves a new NMCC Falcon's T-shirt with instructions to put it on Tinman.

So, after a quick trip to the sheet metal shop where his arms are removed, Tinman returns to the library looking better than ever.

If you like the new shirt and want one of your own, stop by the bookstore.