Library Blog - Focus on a Topic

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the contributions made by Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrates Hispanic heritage and culture. [caption id="attachment_1589" align="alignleft" width="300"] image from

Here in the library we spend a lot of time on our computers, as do our students. It's easy to start to slump and forget that spending so much time sitting still is hard on our bodies. Here are a couple resources to help us all stay on track, and prevent aches and pains later on. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a handy guide to how to properly sit at your desk, as well as how to arrange your chairs and keyboards for maximum benefit. The American Chiropractic Association has

Jurassic World premiered last weekend; a reboot of the famous Jurassic Park movies from the 90's starring Chris Pratt. Dinosaurs have held our fascination and attention for a long time, for good reason. They are incredible. Need more dinosaurs in your life? Here are some of our suggestions: Visit the NC Museum of Natural Science. The have real dinosaur skeletons ( Acrocanthosaurus atokensis and Thescelosaurus) for you to look at and learn about. The best part? It's free! Have kids that like

[caption id="attachment_1439" align="alignnone" width="560"] Image from http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/glbt-book-month[/caption] Explore the library's GLBTQ nonfiction, fiction, and DVD collections. Browse the online catalog for more titles. The Stonewall Book Awards List, sponsored by the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table, honors books for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience in literature, nonfiction, and

North Carolina is lucky to have such wonderful beaches to visit. Are you heading to the beach this summer? Would you like to learn more about North Carolina's beaches? These books will fill you in on the history and culture of NC's beautiful coast as well as help you plan your trip. North Carolina Beaches by Glenn Morris Long hailed as the best guide to enjoying the state's 320 miles of coastline, North Carolina Beaches will help you find just the right spot for a long vacation or a one-day

Tonight is the night of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala. It is an exclusive and expensive ($25,000 a ticket!) fundraiser for the museum. We may not be able to attend what has become one of New York City's biggest parties of the year, but we can view the Costume Institute's collection online. That's almost the same, right? Just click here to view clothing from the collection. From gowns to hats to aprons, you can find clothing and jewelry in all kinds of styles from many

April has been designated Financial Literacy Month in the United States of America. Learning about your personal finances and how to manage them can be daunting. There is so much information out there, where do you start? Here are two resources that can help. MyMoney.gov is a website funded by the government that takes you through what they call the five principles (Earn, Save & Invest, Protect, Spend, Borrow) and explains each. You can also look at what to do for big life events, such as buying

The U.S. National Archives, in conjunction with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, is producing a forum on women in leadership online. Watch the forum live here or on their YouTube channel today at 7:30pm, or stream it afterwards when you have time. The description of the forum is below. "From the early days of the Civil Rights movement, African American women have worked and served in numerous and influential leadership roles. What are their experiences and

Let the brief taste of a winter wonderland linger by reading these books. All of them have the word "snow" in the title, and all of them are available at the library. [caption id="attachment_1058" align="aligncenter" width="198"] The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey[/caption] Set in Alaska in the 1920's this book binds the drama of the landscape with magical realism to weave a tale you won't easily forget. Find it in our catalog here. [caption id="attachment_1059" align="aligncenter" width="195"] Snow

Celebrate Black History Month by watching an inspirational film! The following films are available for viewing online through the library's Films on Demand streaming video collection. Click on the blue titles below for access. There are more than 150 films for African American History available through Films on Demand and the library has many DVDs for check out too. Eyes on the Prize Eyes on the Prize tells the definitive story of the civil rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men