HCC Library

Tech and Talk Day at HCC

2008-01-10T13:16:00.000-05:00

January 9, 2008 marked our third annual Tech and Talk Day here at HCC. Hosted by the Instructional Resource Center, this day showcases presentations by staff and faculty members, and gives our instructors a chance to learn new and innovative ways to teach in the classroom. Among the topics covered: the role of Wiki's in academia, Google Documents, using iclickers, Gaming, Copyright, etc... There was even a session on audio feedback being used in the classroom. With the use of technology, learning can be made innovative and fun! The presentations from Tech and Talk Day will be made available shortly. Check them out at the link below!

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Presidential Libraries in the News

2007-12-20T11:07:00.000-05:00

There are a couple of Presidential Libraries that have made the news recently. The first off, the William J. Clinton Memorial Library and Museum is going ecofriendly with the addition of a new green roof. The other presidential library getting not necessarily positive publicity, is the Ronald Reagan Library that has just misplaced over 80,000 documents related to his time in office. Wow talk about different ends of the spectrum! Check out both articles to read more.

William J. Clinton Memorial Library and Museum
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Ronald Reagan Library article
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Veterans Day Rememberance

2007-11-15T08:59:00.000-05:00

Veteran's Day was November 11th. In remembrance of those who have fought for our country over the years, the U S National Archives and Records Administration offer useful information for those conducting research on veterans. The site also includes statistical data on veterans.

Check it out!!

To read

How Much Money Does Your Library Save?

2007-10-11T08:29:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered while browsing through the shelves of your library, that the library is actually saving money? Maybe not in cold hard cash, but using the library is actually a way of saving money. Here is an easy calculator to determine how much "money" you save at the library.

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U.S.Copyright Database for Sale?

2007-10-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the U.S. Copyright Office has been trying to sell the Copyright Database for over $86,000? According to the Constitution, this very database which contains copyrights should always be made free and accessible to the public.

The high price-tag has placed it out of reach for many public and educational institutions and their leaders have raised concerns over this fact.

To read

Google Books

2007-09-21T10:01:00.000-05:00

As you may know, Google has many innovative online resources. Many of you have probably used Google Maps for driving directions, travelled around the world virtually with Google Earth, or conducted research Google Scholar, and you may have even browsed the scanned selections from Google books.

Now, Google books has a new feature which allows you to cut and paste text from their collection of books. You can also "add to my library" which is really neat, this allows you to save the bibliographical information to your own account.

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Do You Know How to Take Good Notes?

2007-09-20T07:42:00.000-05:00

How many times have you sat in a class and took notes on what the professor was lecturing on, and thought that you were taking good notes? How many times have you gotten a test back and thought that you could have done better, only if you had taken better notes? Well, there is help and hope for you struggling note takers out there, advice on taking more effective notes.

To read

Receiving Books Via-Email?

2007-09-20T07:37:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, convenience is everything, especially when you want to read a classic and don't have time to go to the library. DailyLit is a service that sends you your requests via-email. It is easy to subscribe to, and the book is sent right to your computer!

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Wikipedia, 2 million articles and counting..........

2007-08-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

When doing research, people use many online resources such as Wikipedia's blogs and podcasts, just to name a few. There is an enormous amount of subjects to read about, to learn new and exciting things. Wikipedia has hit its 2 million article mark, (the English language version, that is) and there is so much more to write about. Where is Wikipedia heading next?

To read

Google Making Books Available Online?

2007-08-13T11:33:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't it be fantastic to be able to obtain books from major universities online? Well then you're in luck; the Google Book Search Project is here. Cornell University has agreed to participate in this wonderful program. There is no need to worry for those concerned about copyright issues because if the book is copyrighted then the viewer can only see the abstract.

To read

Library Toting Mules ?

2007-08-07T09:08:00.000-05:00

Libraries come in all different shapes and sizes, and different forms of transportation. In Venezuela, there is Bibliomulas. Bibliomulas are mules who carry mini-libraries to remote communities. They deliver everything from books, to projectors and laptop computers.

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Yes, Even You Can Start Your Own Library.......

2007-07-12T08:31:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered if you could take all of the books that you own and start your own library? It can be done, either for your church, community organizations, etc... Just by asking members of your organization for donations, either book or monetary can help you reach your goal for your own library.
To Read

Rare Books

2007-07-12T08:28:00.000-05:00

There are many books that have been written and published that people maybe unaware of. Fortunately, some of the world's greatest books have been digitally photographed for your reading pleasure from all over the world. There is a variety of different subjects that can be browsed from this Rare Book Room site.
To read

Pimp my Book Cart?

2007-07-12T08:23:00.000-05:00

Book carts are not just for holding books, they can also be jazzed up. Different libraries have contests every year, along with having a "Book Cart Drill Team" where library staff can customize their own book cart. Who says working in a library was boring.......

To read

Free Books!!!!!

2007-06-07T08:12:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wanted to read a great novel but do not have the money to buy one, all the time? Then there is great news for you readers out there. Here is a list of the top 10 great resources to get free books.

To read.

Cataloging Your Own Books ?

2007-05-21T09:56:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wanted to do something useful with all the books that you have collected over the years? Well now you can from your very own home. There is a web based application called Library Thing. It allows you to catalog and share your own personal collection. To learn more, click here.

Bloggers in the Military

2007-05-09T11:07:00.000-05:00

There has been new rules placed on military blogging. Army soldiers now must get permission to send both blog entries and personal emails from a superior officer. This is a long time coming some say, and could mean the end of milblogging for good.
To read this

Web 2.0 and the Modern Library

2007-04-20T12:22:00.000-05:00

Computers In Libraries

Coinciding with National Library week, the 22nd Annual Computers in Libraries conference was held in Arlington Virginia. This is a conference which highlights new and evolving technologies, and holds classes and exhibits for Librarians and Information Managers. This year, the emphasis was on "moving beyond Library 2.0" and some of the many different topics covered at the conference included:Mashups, Wiki's, Blogs, Podcastings, Game-based learning, and their possible application for Library Instruction.

The conference brought to light the evolution of technology and that social networking sites such as: Facebook and YouTube, blogs, wiki's,, and podcasts are here to stay! The key is to figure out how they can be used to enhance library instruction as well as promote learning in general. Is the thought of just learning in the classroom no more? Can learning, with the aid of new technology, occur anywhere at anytime using new technology ?

With a link to:

http://www.infotoday.com/cil2007/

If you are interested in further information on this topic, please check out the the IRC staff presentation on Social Computing.

Nikki Giovanni

2007-04-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

Nikki Giovanni, poet, activist, and educator, has led an extraordinary life. She has written many books for both young and old and has received recognition for her variety of achievements. Ms. Giovanni was the guest speaker at the Harford Community College Library dedication ceremony back in 2000. To read this article.

Addendum:

Nikki Giovanni, is an faculty member at Virginia Tech and spoke to a very emotional audience after the recent tragic events at the campus. To read the full report, click here.

Bloggers, Journalist or Criminal?

2007-04-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

Who would have thought that being a blogger could be such a dangerous job? Well, for one man it turned out to be that way. Video blogger Josh Wolf has been released from the Dublin Federal Correction Institution in California after seven and a half months for withholding a name of a person he was doing a video blog on. I pose this question, is it okay for journalists to be able to withhold names of their sources, and not Bloggers? What is the difference? What kind of distinctions need to be made to preserve freedom of speech.

To read this article

Camel Book Mobile ?

2007-03-07T14:28:00.000-05:00

Throughout the years libraries have tried many methods to reach out to their patrons. Book mobiles deliver books to remote areas, and there are even outreach programs for the elderly and shut-ins. But there are other countries that are so remote that their version of a book mobile, is book delivery via a camel. This outreach program is in need of every one's help. They are in need of donations, especially popular selections such as children's story books, textbooks and general fiction books. Despite the rather "rustic" mode of transportation the Camel Book mobile system, it even possesses it's own rather sophisticated check out system.

To read this article.

Death of the Newspaper?

2007-02-21T12:55:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, the oldest newspaper based out of Stockholm Sweden announced that they would cease publication in print and go completely online. In other news closer to home, the New York Times has hinted of going completely online in the near future.

Coming from a Serials background, this has some pros and cons. Does the reality of not having a "hard copy" of news and information concern anyone? Does anyone feel that technology is infallible and that technology advancement is a welcomed change?

To check out the article concerning the oldest newspaper go to here. To read the article concerning the New York Times newspaper go to here.

WIKIPEDIA--Should students use it?

2006-10-05T13:53:00.000-05:00

Type any keywords into the search engine of your choice, and odds are that Wikipedia will be very near the top of the results list. What is Wikipedia and why should you caution your students about it?
According to TechWeb.com, the simple definition of a wiki is "a web site that can be quickly edited by its visitors..." The implication for scholarly research is clear--if anyone can edit, how can validity be determined?
The solution is simple--students must treat Wikipedia like any other web source to determine the validity of the content. Do the facts jibe with other sources? Is the (original) author a scholar in his field? Even Jimmy Wales, the creator of Wikipedia, cautions students about using it for serious research. Read a blog entry with some of his thoughts in the Chronicle.
Click here to read an interesting article about Wikipedia.
Students will use Wikipedia; it is up to us as educators to give them the tools to use it properly.

How can I find a specific journal article without searching every database?

2006-09-27T08:40:00.000-05:00

The HCC Library subscribes to many useful tools; one of the most potentially useful ones can be found under the link "Locate a Journal" on the Library's home page. From there, clicking on "Journals found in our online databases" allows you to type in a journal name; the tool will identify which of our online databases contains that journal, and whether or not it is full-text. No more going from database to database to see if the journal you need is indexed!! VERY useful if you have a citation and want the actual article. Try it and see if you agree. And, as always, feel free to call 131 if you have any questions.