Stored In Dusty Boxes

The Federal Writers Project was stopped overnight by the Congress and the work of the writers was placed in boxes in the state archives and left there. Dr. Cecelia Bucki, one of the scholars on Thursday's "Soul of a People" Scholar Panel, went through these boxes for information for her book on immigrant life in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She spoke about the high quality of the oral histories done by the Federal Writers' Project.
You can learn more about the Federal Writers' Project and oral histories on Thursday, October 22 from 11am to 12:20pm in Room 808. Assistant Professor, Dale Griffith and her students will be doing presentations and offering light refreshments.
For more information:http://www.mxcc.commnet.edu/Content/Soul_of_a_People_Program.asp

We're closed for remodeling!

That's right, the library's getting a facelift! Library facilities will be closed to the public starting today, Tuesday August 4th, through Friday August 21st.

However, staff will be available to offer assistance, answer questions, and accept returned items - just follow the signs to find us.

And be sure to come ooh and ahh over our update once we reopen Monday August 24th!

Dive Into Blue August!

Do you want to learn more about the oceans, how to protect manatees from extinction, or the water quality at vacation beaches? Would you like to watch PlanetGreen's special TV programming on Blue August hosted by Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau? If so, visit PlanetGreen.

Feeling stressed? Try watching the YouTube hit "Kuroshio Sea" to help calm your nerves.

Take control of your growing social networks.

Do you have password fatigue? virtual photos scattered everywhere? forget if you've already signed up for an account? multiple online personality disorder? Here are some tips for managing your virtual self.

Nothing beats a live performance!

One more weekend to see live outdoor theater right here at MxCC! Bring a picnic and enjoy Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew put on by Art Farm. There is live music at 6pm and the play at 7pm.

Apollo Moon Landing - 40th Anniversary

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. To see this monumental misson of "One Small Step, One Giant Leap', click here. If you are looking for moon-related movies, the library has several...Apollo 13, In the Shadow of the Moon, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Also, check out "Trip to the Moon" from 1902 on YouTube. This movie, by French director Georges Melies, set the standard for moon-related movies.

Want a fun way to learn how to do things?

Like survive a bear attack or make a fruit smoothie? Here are three sites :

• http://www.howcast.com/
• http://www.about.com/ : Search a topic and then look for video on the right
• http://www.ehow.com/videos.html

Get smarter and feed the hungry at the same time!

Be like Polly, and put your "summertime procrastinating mood to some good use." Go to Free Rice and play online quizzes in art, chemistry, English, geography, language learning, and math. For every right answer, they donate 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program! To learn more, see their FAQ and About pages.

Network with other bibliophiles this summer.

Visit one of these sites and you’ll be able to organize your collection, participate in book groups, share, collaborate, and socialize.

4 things to celebrate the 4th

Happy 4th of July! Here are some suggestions for celebrating Independence Day:

Check out local parades and fireworks shows;


Visit a few historic sites;


Cook up some great food for family and friends;


Educate yourself about this important national holiday.

Welcome to Students in Summer Film Industry Training Program!

The library staff welcomes you and hopes that our resources may be of use. To see pictures/testimonials from last year's program, click here.

The library catalog has a new look.

It includes lots of improvements with citation style entries, a "Filter your Search" box, a link to Google Book Search and an easier to use "My Account" display.

Need a short break? Listen to a short story!

Fiction Podcast: A monthly reading and conversation with The New Yorker’s fiction editor. Well-known writers read other writers' work. You can listen or download it, or subscribe via iTunes. http://www.newyorker.com/online/podcasts/fiction

Planning a trip this summer?

Whether it's for a day or for few weeks, here are some great sites to get you started. Have fun!

• Appalachian Mountain Club
• CT DEP: Outdoor Recreation
  
• National Park Service
  

• AAA
• Rough Guides
• Schmap
  
• Tourcaster
• Traveldk

Welcome to Summer Session!

To get a head start, check out "10 Must-Try Social Media Sites for College Students." Compiled by a SUNY senior, this useful list covers everything from buying textbooks to landing an internship.

Green Fest at Middlesex Community College

Did you miss the Green Fest Last Sunday, May 17th - a celebration of going green in our community, a libraries' county-wide "Greening Our Valley" initiative? Or do you want to re-experence some excitements of the festival? Follow the link to the library's presentation.

Spring Into Summer - Library Book Display

The library has a very nice book collection on display for your summer leisure time - Cooking Up Some Fun, Play in the Dirt, Enjoy the Great Outdoors, and so on. Please come pick up the one you like most. First-come, first-served.

MxCC is the place to be this weekend!

Listen to a podcast of the exciting events taking place this weekend by clicking here.
On Friday, May 15, starting at 6:00 p.m., in the Library (Chapman Hall), there will be an opening reception for the 2009 MxCC Arts & Media Festival. Come see student works displayed in the library and then at 7:00 p.m. watch the film and multimedia project screenings (upstairs).
This is always a great night...don't miss it!

On Sunday, May 17, the Eco-Fest will take place in Chapman Hall from 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. This free family-friendly festival will includes lots of fun activities, giveaways, and circus-themed food. ArtFarm will perform Circus for a Fragile Planet at 3:00 pm. It is sure to be a great "going green" celebration!

Current Library Displays

The library displays for May are: Art From Asia and Resources for Surviving Finals Week.
Since May is Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, two of our displays feature batik screens, vases made of pottery, clay, and cloisonne, Tang Dynasty tri-color glazed horse pottery and Qin Dynasty terracotta warriors. Thanks to Landi and Yi for contributing to the display.

Be sure to also check out the student art work on display throughout the library.

Love Google but hate weeding through a mountain of questionable hits?

Search more efficiently by using Advanced Search and limiting sites, or go directly to Google Scholar or Google Government.