The Bookmark - Autumn 2015

Issue 5 October 2015

Texas A&M University—Texarkana

The John F. Moss Library

In this issue: Library Calendar Events Recap New Resources Book Review Database Connection Tech in the Library

Autumn is here, even though the summer heat is making earnest attempts to linger. As the semester continues and the holi-

Bestsellers Art in the Library

day season approaches, it can be easy to feel a little overwhelmed with the amount of work there still is to be done. Projects are coming due, papers need to be researched, chapters need to be read, notes need to be taken. The John F. Moss library is here to keep you moving forward. Take a look at our calendar of upcoming events for database training, the dates we will be closed for holidays, free finals week coffee, and more. Learn about some new resources, as well as current ones you might not know about. Take a peek at some good reads in our bestsellers section, and an in-depth look at one book in particular. Enjoy the art being hosted on the walls of the library from local artists. Sit and take a breath for a moment.

You can do this, and the library is here to help.

John F. Moss Libra

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nue 7101 University Ave d Floor South University Center 3r 3 Texarkana, TX 7550 (903)223-3100 du http://library.tamut.e

“Google can bring you back 100,000 answers, a librarian can bring you back the right one.”

—Neil Gaiman

cALenDar oF EvEnTS (=]__________) To register for any events, go to http://tamut.libcal.com/ and choose the event to enter your information.

[October] 20th — “Navigating the Information World” Workshop, UC 210 12 pm-12:45 pm 22nd—Join us for Book Club 11:45-1pm, lunch provided; the book is The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch 22nd — “Navigating the Information World” Workshop, UC 242 5:30 pm-6:15 pm 29th — Tabletalk Thursday —“Zombies in the Zeitgeist,” 2pm-3pm 30th—The library staff will be participating in the University Halloween Costume Contest!

[November] 10th — Art Reception: “Four States Regional Art Club,” 5-7 pm 18th — Join us for Book Club 11:45-1pm, lunch provided; the book is Our Kids — The American Dream in Crisis 19th — Texas A&M University—Texarkana Tribute to Scholarly Accomplishments, 5pm 26-28th—The library will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday 30th-Dec 8th — Extended hours, open until 11pm 30th-Dec 9th — Serving free coffee and hot chocolate

[December] Nov 30th-Dec 8th — Extended hours, open until 11pm Nov 30th-Dec 9th — Serving free coffee and hot chocolate 19-21, 24-31—The library will be closed for Winter break

Follow Texas A&M Texarkana—John F. Moss Library on Facebook for updates or changes on events at: http://www.facebook.com/TAMUTLIBRARY

RECAP As part of the beginning of the Fall semester and TAMUT’s #BestWeekEver, the John F. Moss Library threw a pirate social for everyone to enjoy, complete with Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Names, a snack barge, and a treasure hunt!

Students had the opportunity to complete a scavenger hunt for free money on their printing account. Check out #TAMUTpirate on Facebook for more pictures!

by Kendra Harrell

Tabletalk Thursday is a new monthly feature being offered through the library.

It is a student-led discussion group open to anyone interested in attending!

The topic changes every month. So far, we’ve had Comic Books & Movies, Video Games, and October is Zombies! Check out our Facebook page or the library calendar for updates.

The library was one of 15 locations participating in the Texarkana Regional Arts & Humanities Council’s Gallery Hop on October 3rd. TRAHC does a lot in the Texarkana community to support art, and the library was proud to be a part of the Gallery Hop!

September & October Book Clubs

New Library Resources

by Kendra Harrell

EBSCO has a new eBooks app! It is available through the iTunes app store and Google Play, as well as on your Kindle Fire and Nook device. Through the John F. Moss library, you have access to thousands of EBSCO eBooks.

Check out the library’s webpage at http://library. tamut.edu and click “Electronic Resources” to get access.

Overdrive is a BYOD (bring your own device) eBook and audiobook resource for some academic books, but mostly leisure reading. You can check out a book, send it to your Kindle or Nook, or read it on any computer or tablet with your browser. When the book is due back, it will return automatically! Overdrive is accessible through the library’s webpage and your TAMUT login.

Forthcoming resource: The American Society for Microbiology is over 100 years old and publishes works covering a broad range of disciplines relating to the topic of microbiology. The library has purchased 19 new titles from their collection, including Cheese and Microbes, Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases, Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook, and more. The eBooks will be accessible through Eaglit soon, or through http://www.asmscience.org/content/books

A couple of our EBSCO products are upgrading this fall. Humanities International Complete is changing to Humanities Source, and Computers & Applied Sciences Complete is changing to Applied Science and Technology Source. These changes are designed to give students access to more resources, while maintaining the current resources already available. If you have any questions about these changes please contact the library!

Science is a wellknown journal of original scientific research, science news, and commentary. With the university’s subscription, you have full access to the current publication as well as archives of the journal online. Science will be accessible through the library’s webpage, or through www.sciencemag.org/

Starting in November, the library will be offering Mango Language’s innovative and interactive language-learning programs. There are over 60 languages to choose from, including Spanish for Latin America and Spanish for Spain, Mandarin Chinese, and Pirate — ahoy, matey! The selection even includes English for speakers of various different languages.

Mango is easy and fun to use — you’ll be speaking in another language more quickly than you’d expect! You will be able to access Mango through the library’s webpage.

R

omanticizing childhood is more or less an arbitrary part of being an adult. Nostalgia for an innocent, lazy time without responsibility and the entire world at one’s fingertips--how could we not think fondly of our halcyon days?

Well, probably because you’ve forgotten all the baggage of your younger years. We don’t place highly the memories of friends leaving forever, the death of loved ones, the realization that the legends you’ve built up are only human.

PML Call Number: PZ3.B72453 Dan6 JFM Call Number: PS3503.R167 D36 1976

Dandelion Wine by venerated author Ray Bradbury is a novel made up of mostly previouslyreleased short stories. The protagonist is twelve-year-old Douglas Spaulding, a boy who lives for the carefree excitement of summer.

Something feels different about this year, though: at the beginning of summer Douglas comes to the wonderful realization that he, his brother, and everyone he knows is in fact alive, that he has taken living for granted and he wants to live to his fullest now that summer has come around once more. The thrill of life wanes as he comes to terms with what life entails, and that, like summer, everything must eventually come to an end.

The novel is somewhat different in tone than Bradbury’s other novels, especially if you’re expecting the science fiction mastery common of his works. Magical realism crops up here and there, but the realistic tone is far more prevalent in keeping with the themes of the story. If you’re expecting another Fahrenheit 451 or The Martian Chronicles, you might be somewhat disappointed, but Dandelion Wine is definitely worth your time regardless. And the entire thing isn’t a big downer like the tone of “growing up” would have you believe--the story is actually very uplifting and optimistic, just very sobering.

Ray Bradbury sadly passed in 2012 at the age of 91, leaving the world a much darker place in his absence. His works are often ubiquitous within the realm of speculative fiction, but I would say Dandelion Wine is easily the best work by Bradbury I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book as soon as you can, it’s delightful and heartfelt while sticking to a very hard-hitting and timeless theme.

If you’d like to read more of my reviews, head over to subjective-objective.blogspot.com.

by Kendra Harrell

The John F. Moss has a reference library on the 3rd floor, but we also have a reference library online. CREDO Reference provides over 650 reference titles, from over 100 publishers, available for you 24/7 through the library website. You can search the text of the eBooks, as well as over 200,000 images and 1,400 short videos. Everything on CREDO inThink of CREDO cludes citations and comes from reputable as both a database academic sources — which makes it a much more desirable research tool than and an eBook source — Wikipedia, which is “crowdsourced” information of dubious quality! searchable by keyword, and CREDO has several features that make research a snap. The topic pages, which you can find via keyword search, provide brief sumwith a wide subject range of maries of your topic, a list of related images, a list of related topics reference books (all linked to other topic pages), a list of individual entries in CREDO books about the topic, and a visual “Mindmap” that can help illustrate connections between topics.

Any of the images in the image search can be used for research and education purposes — the only restrictions are that you cannot make a profit off the images, or post them on the open web. Beyond that, they are fair game for school projects and presentations! All the images are also completely citable.

Mindmap

There are also several helpful tools available through CREDO, including a dictionary, a person search, an image search, audio pronunciations, a quotation search, a holiday & festival search, and even a crossword solver!

So, if you are new to databases, feeling a little confused, and looking for a user-friendly, basic research “Wikipedia replacement” — try out CREDO Reference. It will get you started and help guide your research in the right direction, while familiarizing you with basic database functions at the same time! If you need help getting started, check the library’s calendar online or in the library for database training, or ask at the front desk for help.

This information was gathered from the CREDO webpage, as well as a CREDO training session presented by Kathy Fagan and Lisa Hill on 9/18/15.

Tools

Technology in the Library

By Kendra Harrell

Books are not the only items available for checkout in the library. Do you

need to make a video for part of a class assignment, and your scratched-up smartphone just won’t do? And do you need to write that presentation to a DVD when you’re done? The library can help! We have several useful electronic devices that you can check out:

Nooks Kindles Cameras (with cases, memory cards, extra battery packs, tripods, and folding dollies!)

Camcorders (with cases, memory cards, extra battery packs, tripods, and folding dollies)

Voice Recorders External DVD/CD Writers Universal Card Readers Laptops (with cases) Webcams (only for use in the library) E-Readers like Kindle and Nooks are available for 2 week checkouts, and they come loaded with our book club selections.

The cameras and camcorders are for 1 day checkouts only, but you can renew for an additional day, unless there are people waiting on the item.

You can check a laptop out for 7 days, and you can even renew once, so you can have it for 2 whole weeks! They have Windows 8 and the Office Suite installed.

While using library electronics, you must follow the rules and warnings detailed on the Equipment Loaner Agreement form, available at the front desk. This includes policies designed to protect the device and prohibiting certain behaviors while you are in possession of the device (like harassment, abuse, or sharing of the resource). When you check them out, you have to sign this agreement. It also includes acknowledging financial responsibility for the item, which means exactly what it sounds like — you lose it or break it, you bought it. If it is over 48 hours late, it may be considered stolen.

These electronic devices are all available to our students, faculty, and staff to check out.

Don’t limit your research and projects! You can incorporate multimedia aspects to your presentations and really stand out from the rest of the class.

New Bestseller Titles Find these on the Bestseller display inside the library on the 3rd floor

by Sandra Holmes Young Pip Tyler doesn't know who she is.

She knows that her real name is Purity, that she's saddled with $130,000 in student debt, that she's squatting with anarchists in Oakland, and that her relationship with her mother--her only family--is hazardous.

But she doesn't have a clue who her father is, why her mother chose to live as a recluse with an invented name, or how she'll ever have a normal life. Enter the Germans.

John Sandford has proven time and again his unmatchable talents for electrifying plots, rich characters, sly wit, and razor-sharp dialogue. Now, in collaboration with internationally known photo-artist and science fiction aficionado Ctein, he proves it all once more, in a stunning new thriller, a story as audacious as it is deeply satisfying.

It has an ocean-front view, a private beach--and a deadly secret that won't stay buried. No. 7 Ocean Drive is a gorgeous, multi-million-dollar beachfront estate in the Hamptons, where money and privilege know no bounds. But its beautiful gothic exterior hides a horrific past: it was the scene of a series of depraved killings that have never been solved. Neglected, empty, and rumored to be cursed, it's known as the Murder House, and locals keep their distance. Full of the twists and turns that have made James Patterson the world's #1 bestselling writer, THE MURDER HOUSE is a chilling, page-turning story of murder, money, and revenge.

Drawing upon extensive and exclusive interviews with Trump and many of his family members, including all his adult children, D'Antonio presents the full story of a truly American icon, from his beginnings as a businessman to his stormy romantic life and his pursuit of power in its many forms. For all those who wonder: Just who is Donald Trump?, Never Enough supplies the answer.

Taking place nearly a century before the events of A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire. These never-before-collected adventures recount an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living consciousness.

Descriptions are supplied by the publishers.

Art in the Library

by Ann May

The John F. Moss Library at Texas A&M University - Texarkana is currently hosting an art exhibit featuring artists Nancy Hall Martin and Ronnie Sladovnick. Since this is their second exhibit together at the library, they have titled the showing "The Way We See It 2.” Because each of their styles is so different, the artists like showing their work together, and they hope people will enjoy the way each one sees the world. The exhibit includes mostly new work not seen in their previous show.

Nancy Martin, from Texarkana, Arkansas, is a retired teacher and former owner of The Artist's Hideaway. She leads experimental and teaching workshops, has had showings in various art exhibitions, and was this past year's signature artist for TRAHC's Party with Picassos. Nancy paints in several mediums including oil, watercolor, mixed media, and acrylic. Recently she has enjoyed experimenting with new mediums, especially splash ink painting and watercolor batik on rice paper.

“Pumpkin” - Mixed Media Collage

by Nancy Hall Martin

Ronnie Sladovnick, who lives in New Boston, Texas, where he is a minister at Chapel of Light, has “Point the Way” - Ink also had showings in various art exhibitions. His

by Ronnie Sladovnick interest in art started with weaving, but after joining the Four States Art Club his work expanded into painting and other areas of art. This exhibition shows his wide range of artwork including collage, mixed media, acrylic, watercolor, pen and ink, fiber wall hangings, and assorted wood carvings. He especially enjoys creating collages of colorful flowers and abstract drawings in ink--art that inspires the viewer to take a closer look.

The two artists have their own distinct styles, as shown in this exhibit. There are about 130 pieces of artwork, including some created by Mr. Sladovnick's late son, Steve Sla“Yellow River” - Fiber dovnick. Their paintings include many florals

by Ronnie Sladovnick and landscapes, as well as wildlife, abstracts, and other categories, and the pieces vary from black and white to vibrant colors.

Everyone is invited to the library to enjoy this diverse collection of artwork which is on display through October 30, 2015.

“Pink Petals” - Acrylic on Canvas

by Nancy Hall Martin

Starting November 5th, our next art show will be exhibiting works from the Four States Regional Art Club. Come to our reception on November 10th, 5-7 pm in the library, to celebrate the various artists and enjoy some refreshments.

Discover your library

at Texas A&M University - Texarkana

Newsletter content by Sandra Holmes, Ann May, Chris Depineda, and Kendra Harrell Edited by Ginger Mann Layout & Graphics by Kendra Harrell Questions about this newsletter?

Contact kendra.harrell@tamut.edu