New books, new DVDs, and more!

Do you wonder what was added to the library's holdings during the first quarter of 2009--January, February, and March? Check out the New Library Purchases page. Updates are listed by months. The listing shows titles of books, DVDs, reference, and periodicals. For your convenience, the Library of Congress classification number is included to direct you to where the items are shelved. You will find the link on the library's home page under Library Information, Services & Forms.

Free ebook for April

NetLibrary's free ebook for April 1-30 is After the War: Nation-Building from FDR to George W. Busch by James Dobbins, Michele Poole, Austin Long and Benjamin Runkle. NetLibrary describes the book as:

"In recent decades, the United States' overwhelming military superiority has allowed it to "overawe" or overrun adversaries with comparative ease. However, consolidating victory and preventing a renewal of conflict has usually taken more time, energy, and resources than originally foreseen. Few recent efforts of this sort can be regarded as unqualified successes, and one or two must be accounted as clear failures.

After the War: Nation-Building from FDR to George W. Bush addresses the manner in which U.S. policy toward postconflict reconstruction has been created and implemented and the effect that these processes have had on mission outcomes. Through the lens of presidential decision making style and administrative structure, from the post-World War II era through the Cold War, post-Cold War era, and current war on terrorism, it is both possible and necessary to reassess how these elements can work in favor of, as well as against, the nation-building goals of the U.S. government and military and those of its coalition partners and allies."

To locate this ebook and other full-text books, begin at the library homepage and then choose "Online Reference Resources."

Free ebook for March

The free ebook from netLibrary is Two Billion Cars: Driving for Sustainability. According to netLibrary, "At present, there are roughly a billion motor vehicles in the world. Within twenty years, the number will double to 2 billion, largely a consequence of China's and India's explosive growth. Given that greenhouse gases are already creating havoc with our climate and that violent conflict in oil-rich nations is on the rise, does this mean that matters will only get worse? Or are there hopeful signs that effective, realistic solutions can be found?"

"In Two Billion Cars, transportation experts Daniel Sperling and Deborah Gordon provide a concise history of America's love affair with cars and an overview of the global oil and auto industries. They zero in on reforming our gas-guzzling culture, expanding the search for low-carbon fuels, environment-friendly innovations in transportation planning, and more. Promising advances in both transportation technology and fuel efficiency together with shifts in travel behavior, they suggest, offer us a realistic way out of our predicament."

To read this thought-provoking book, go the library homepage and choose Online Reference Resources and then netLibrary.

Presidents' Day Weekend

Library Hours for Presidents' Day Weekend:

Saturday, Feb. 14 - Closed
Sunday, Feb. 15 - Closed
Monday, Feb. 16 - 4 pm - 11 pm

He's 200 years old!

Well, maybe not! The library does have a special display in honor of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. There is a collection of various sources on the top of the "new book" bookcase. Come in and take a look!

The Newest...

My name is Keri Youngstrand and my title is Library Associate. Basically, my duties include helping with Interlibrary Loan and processing new books as well as various other tasks. I started in this position on January 2, 2009, which makes me the newest. I have an English degree from Jamestown College with a minor in music. Prior to beginning this position, I worked as an Assistant Cashier at Dakota Western Bank in Bowman, ND. I live on a farmstead north-east of Amidon with my husband, Jason, and our two children, Trent and Logan. We have ten cows, four horses, a dog, and more jackrabbits than I can count. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, baking, crocheting, singing, and spending time with my boys. I am the Sunday School Superintendent at Lebanon Lutheran in Amidon and a member of the Slope County Fairboard. Recently, I have learned to play the guitar and begun teaching piano again.

Office Manager and Circulation Supervisor

My turn: I am Renee Newton, the Office Manager and Circulation Supervisor at Stoxen Library. I’ve been in my position since September but as a DSU student I worked here and it’s great to be back! My duties include checking in newspapers and periodicals, training and support of the student workers, and office related tasks. When not working, I spend time taking care of my family and trying to squeeze in as much reading (am enjoying the Twilight series right now) and knitting (dishcloths are the current obsession) as possible – if only I didn’t need to sleep!

New ebook for February!

NetLibrary is once again offering us an additional free ebook for February. To celebrate African-American History month, Raising Freedom's Child: Black Children and Visions of the Future After Slavery is free until February 28. According to their website:

"Drawing on previously untapped resources, author Mary Niall Mitchell demonstrates how the black child became a figure upon which people projected their hopes and fears about slavery's abolition. From the 1850s and the Civil War to emancipation and the official end of Reconstruction in 1877, Raising Freedom's Child examines slave emancipation and opposition to it as a far-reaching, national event with profound social, political, and cultural consequences. Mitchell analyzes multiple views of the black child—in letters, photographs, newspapers, novels, and court cases—to demonstrate how Americans contested and defended slavery and abolition."

To access this resource, go to the library homepage, then choose "online reference resources" and finally "netlibrary."

Monday Night movie

This video is available to check out! DVD PN1997.2 .I76 2004

Iron Jawed Angels

Stoxen Library, Women’s Voices and the Campus Activities Board are sponsoring a showing of Iron Jawed Angels on Monday, Jan. 26th at 7 p.m. in Beck Auditorium. If you are not familiar with it, this is an HBO produced movie dealing with the early women’s suffrage movement and particularly an incident in which a group of women picketing the White House asking for the vote were imprisoned for obstructing sidewalk traffic.

This is a link to the web page at HBO for the movie.
http://www.hbo.com/films/ironjawedangels/synopsis/

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago. Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.The women were jailed for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote. They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air. They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women. Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press. It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Yet one more staff member!

I am Rita Ennen and privileged to be the Director of Library Services. I came to DSU in 2001 as Technical Services Librarian. I still love Dickinson and serving students at DSU. In addition to general management, I also handle all of the library's magazine and journal subscriptions, assist with collection development of audiovisual materials, and serve as systems librarian for Aleph (our integrated library system software). I am currently serving as local arrangements chair for the next North Dakota Library Association conference to be held in Dickinson Sept. 27-29, 2009.

When I'm not working I enjoy music and drama events with/for my children. (Next play at the high school is Ramshackle Inn a comedy/mystery Feb. 27 - Mar. 1.) I enjoy reading (sci fi is favorite!), playing piano for worship at my church and camping and gardening in the summer time.

Technical Services Librarian

I am S. Faith Wanner; my title is the “Technical Services Librarian.” Does that mean I am a technician for the library computers? That’s not the case. What makes my library position technical? Providing access to library resources is a complex process; it requires knowledge of bibliographic and data control. I am responsible for the jobs that pertain to resource management, including acquiring, cataloging, processing, accessing, maintaining holdings of library resources, and account management. I also coordinate interlibrary loan services and assist the other librarians in providing reference and public service to the community.

I’m starting my seventh year at Dickinson State. Previous to that, I worked in various K-12 schools in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. I have a Masters in Library Science (MLS) for grades K-12 from Spalding University in Louisville, KY. In December 2007, I completed a MLS with an emphasis in academic/university libraries from the University of North Texas, Denton, TX.

When not working, my hobbies are quilting, reading, and spending time with family and friends. I enjoy watching HGTV, the Food Network, CSI, and science fiction.

Becky Needham

My name is Becky Needham and I am a library assistant/evening supervisor. The assistant part of my job title means I help with various tasks such as interlibrary loans, reserve items and my favorite part, helping to process all of the new materials the library receives. My evening supervisor duties involve watching over the library and all that takes place in it on Sundays and Monday thru Thursday nights. I have a degree in geology from UND and I taught my first geology lab last semester and will be teaching another one this semester.


Outside of work I enjoy the outdoors with my husband, Brock and our dog Radar. I like to take pictures with my digital camera, but by no means consider myself a photographer. Brock and I also like to hang out with our friends and play the game Rock Band.

Introducing...

We thought it might be time to introduce ourselves to all of you. Some of the library staff members have been here awhile...and we have a couple of new folk. So we are going to use the blog to tell you a little about ourselves.

I am Eileen Kopren, Public Services Librarian. What does a Public Services Librarian do, you ask? My primary responsibilities include library instruction, supervision of all circulation activities including student employees and reference work. This is my 34th year at Stoxen Library...and, yes, I do love my job! During my time here, the library has evolved and changed in numerous ways.

I am a DSU grad and proud of it! I have a Masters in Library Science from George Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.

Outside of my job responsibilities I enjoy walking and reading (what else would you expect a librarian to say!). I also sing in a church choir and play in a handbell choir.

Free ebook for January

Is your New Year's resolution to lead a healthier lifestyle? Well, netLibrary's free ebook for the month of January may help with that. Move Yourself: The Cooper Clinic Medical Director's Guide to All the Healing Benefits of Exercise (Even a Little!) describes ways to exercise without running a marathon or even breaking a sweat (really, that's what it says!!) Dr. Tedd Mitchell of the Cooper Clinic, fitness research expert Dr. Tim Church, and health writer Martin Zucker are the authors of this exercise program.

To access this book, begin at the library homepage, choose "Online Reference Resources" and then "netLibrary." This source is available from Jan. 1 - 31, 2009.

Happy New Year!

Book Swap

Did you read a book on summer vacation and now don't know what to do with it? Bring it to the library for the new "book swap" collection. Below see the guidelines for donating to this collection.

1. Please leave donations at the Main Circ Desk.
2. Books for this exchange may be fiction or non-fiction.
3. No textbooks, please.
4. Individuals may take a book to read and keep it or return it to the collection. To return it to the collection, please leave it at the Main Circ Desk of the Library.
5. The library staff reserves the right to not accept books for this collection.
6. The library staff will occasionally discard books from this collection.

New ebook for December!

The "free" ebook from netLibrary this month is "Barack Obama: the New Face of American Politics" by Martin Dupuis and Keith Boeckelman. Access to this ebook is through netLibrary. Choose "online reference resources" on the library homepage and then "netLibrary" on the next page. This book may be freely accessed from Dec. 1 - 31, 2008.

November's free ebook from netLibrary

This month's free ebook is "Foreclosure Survival Guide: Keep Your House or Walk Away With Money In Your Pocket." On the Library's homepage, choose "online reference resources." netLibrary is a choice on the next page. This free electronic book can be accessed on netLibrary's homepage.

"Written by a practicing lawyer who has helped hundreds keep their homes or come out of foreclosure financially sound, Foreclosure Survival Guide provides practical solutions and information that can help readers make the best decisions possible, including what to expect from foreclosure, whether it's worth trying to keep the house and using Chapter 13 bankruptcy to save a home."

For Your Convenience!

It is Alcohol Awareness Week.
The staff at Stoxen Library pulled items of interest for your convenience. See the displays for Alcohol Awareness, Leadership and National Parks.

Geography Trivia Fans!

The Columbia Gazetteer of the World, 2^nd edition, is on the shelves in Stoxen Library.

The three-volume set is in Reference with the call number of
Ref. G 103.5 .C65 2008

With over 170,000 entries, the Columbia Gazetteer of the World is an A to Z encyclopedia of geographical places and features. Whether you're looking for the ten highest mountain peaks in North America, the major commercial crops in Brazil's economy, all the rivers in Southeast Asia, the former name of the city of Yangon, or the natural resources available in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Gazetteer is the one-stop resource for all your information needs.

The Gazetteer features new entries and extensive revisions to reflect recent administrative divisions in countries around the world. It also contains new maps, population figures, and an expanded glossary of geographical and geological terms. With its long history of accuracy and authority, there is no other encyclopedia like Gazetteer.

The Columbia Gazetteer covers:

* Political world-countries, provinces, regions, states, counties, capitals, cities, towns, villages, and neighborhoods.

* Physical world-continents, oceans, seas, lakes, lagoons, rivers, bays, inlets, channels, and streams, along with islands, archipelagos, peninsulas, atolls, mountains, mountain ranges, canyons, deserts, valleys, and volcanoes.

* Special places-national parks and monuments, historic and archaeological sites, harbors, ports, airports, nuclear plants, canals, and destinations of interest.

http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-14554-1/the-columbia-gazetteer-of-the-world

Library now open 7 days a week!

Beginning this Saturday, Sept. 6, the library will be open 7 days of the week! Regular library hours will be:
Monday – Thursday – 8 am – 11 pm
Friday – 8 am – 5 pm
Saturday – 2 pm – 5 pm
Sunday – 4 pm – 11 pm

Please note the library is also now open until 5 on Fridays (versus 4:30 pm).

Library hours vary over University breaks and holidays.

We moved this summer!

We haven’t actually moved the library, but we did spend time this summer re-arranging the books and periodicals so we thought we would let you know where some of your favorite items may now be located.

First of all, we evaluated books in the reference collection and moved some of them to the open book stacks. That means you can now check out, for example, such resources as the Dictionary of the Middle Ages, the Folklore of American Holidays, the Encyclopedia of Human Emotions and the Encyclopedia of Sports Science. For those of you that require students to use reference books, you might want to double-check the stacks to see what remains. There are still plenty of resources there.

We also moved the oversize books from the north end of the balcony down to the main floor at the beginning of the reference shelving. There are some real treasures in this collection, so check it out.

We then shifted (and vacuumed) every other book in the library. For most books this means they moved several sections from where they were. I know there are some who will need to “re-learn” the location of your favorite section. Believe me when I say that I’m still in the process of relearning where those frequently used sources are…I feel your pain!

We now have a “new” collection in the library called the Curriculum Library. These are textbooks and curriculum guides used in the elementary and secondary schools. You will find these materials on the lower level of the library in the compact shelving.

Have a great school year and come see us in the library.

Free netLibrary book for August

The free book from netLibrary until August 31 is Competition and Development: the Power of Competitive Markets. netLibrary describes this book as:

"The growth of international trade and investment has brought about many changes in the economies of developing countries, including a move away from state-controlled enterprise. However, it has also made developing countries more vulnerable to new and potentially harmful types of anticompetitive business practices.
Competition and Development: The Power of Competitive Markets demonstrates the importance of true and fair competition to sustainable development and an effective marketplace, touching on issues of globalization, consumer welfare, cartels and monopolies, and trade liberalization. It provides an introduction to competition, and competition law and policy in developing countries. It focuses on the practical problems faced in developing countries and the steps that have been and can be taken to overcome those problems."

To access this online book, go the the library homepage, then choose Online Reference Resources and then netLibrary.

Need an Interesting Book?

Visit Stoxen Library soon to pick from this interesting display.

Free ebook for July

Our extra special free book from netLibrary this month is Encyclopedia of World Religions by Wendy Doniger. This resource can be accessed from July 1 - 31, 2008 via the netLibrary homepage.

Browse the list of items added during April

Remember to check the New Library Purchases page for a complete listing by month of all new materials added to the library collections. The list for April 2008 is now posted.

Stoxen Library Hours

May 12 – August 15

Monday – Friday ........ 8:00a.m. – 4:30p.m.

May 26 – Closed…Memorial Day

July 4 – Closed …Independence Day

"Enjoy the Break"

Take a break during Finals Week.
Toss some puzzle pieces around then...
check out a "New Book" for summer reading.
Best of Luck to all DSU Graduates.
We will miss many of your faces at Stoxen Library.
Success and happiness to you.

Free ebook on netLibrary

The New Paradigm for Financial Markets is the May eBook of the Month in netLibrary. To access netLibrary, go to the library homepage and choose Online Reference Resources. netLibrary is a choice. Look for the cover of this ebook on the right-hand side of the homepage of netLibrary. Print editions of this new work will not be released until May 19. This ebook will be available to Stoxen Library patrons from May 1-31.

According to the press release from netLibrary, "In The New Paradigm for Financial Markets: The Credit Crisis of 2008 and What It Means, George Soros, the legendary financier, philanthropist and bestselling author, explores the origins of the current financial crisis and its implications for the future. Soros, whose breadth of experience in financial markets is unrivaled, places the current crisis in the context of decades of study of how individuals and institutions handle the boom and bust cycles that now dominate global economic activity. In a concise essay that combines practical insight with philosophical depth, Soros makes an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the great credit crisis and its implications for our nation and the world."

Stoxen Library Drawing Winners

Listed below are Stoxen Library's prize drawing winners! Please stop by the library to pick up your prize! Thank you to all who participated!

BOOKS

Samantha Kiemele

Alexey Uliyanov

Melissa Pavlicek

Josh Nichols

MUSIC CD’S

Lizette Hunt

Shawna Egli

Lucy Meyer

KEYCHAINS

Alicia Erickson

Lindsey Grooms

David Meier

Briannna Sherman

COFFEE MUG

Amy Haugen

BASKET

Mary Anne Marsh

JUMPDRIVE

Shi Yin

DESK SET

Brian Kopp

Stoxen Library Extended Hours

Extended Hours

Friday, April 25…….8a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 26…. 1p.m. - 5p.m.

Sunday, April 27 ……4 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Friday, May 2……………8a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 3…………1p.m. – 5 p.m.

Finals Week Hours

Sunday, May 4…………..4p.m. – 11 p.m.

Monday, May 5...................... 8a.m. – 11:00p.m.

Tuesday, May 6..................... 8a.m. – 11:00p.m.

Wednesday, May 7................ 8a.m. – 11:00p.m.

Thursday, May 8.................... 8a.m. – 11:00p.m.

Friday, May 9......................... 8a.m. – 4:30p.m.

May 12 – August 22

Monday – Friday 8:00a.m. – 4:30p.m.

May 26 – Closed…Memorial Day

July 4 – Closed …Independence Day

Regular Hours

Monday-Thursday 8a.m. – 11p.m.

Friday 8a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Sunday 4p.m. – 11p.m.

Recap of Murder in the Library

It began with a blood-curdling scream and the statement “Adam is dead…someone has murdered him!” Stoxen Library held a “Murder in the Library” on Friday, April 11, 2008 as the kick-off for Library Week.

We had ten teams of six people each. We used the names from the Clue game and added a few of our own: Colonel Mustard, Mr. Green, Mrs. White, Officer Peach, Instructor Mint, Librarian Azure, Reporter Pink, Detective Rusty, Professor Plum and Miss Scarlet. We then used the colors of each team when we photocopied their clues. We placed the picture of the murderer on the back side of the clues and then cut the clues apart like a puzzle. When each team had collected all of their clues, they then put their puzzle together to solve the crime. We had both the picture of her face and the murderer’s name on the sheet.

Each team had thirteen clues/activities to complete in order to solve the crime including finding a book via ODIN, locating a DVD/video, using various library databases, checking out a reserve item and stopping at the Academic Success Center. In some cases, their next clue was hidden inside something (book, periodical, DVD) and in some cases they reported to “clue stations” to prove they had the necessary information to receive their next clue.

Participants were instructed to bring their flashlights as only a few “necessary” lights were on. They seemed to enjoy the atmosphere of a darkened library and there was a goodly amount of screaming as unsuspecting individuals were grabbed in the stacks or from under a computer. Once the event was underway, there always seemed to be a team running to their next clue.

Prizes were awarded for the top three teams and everyone who participated received a free drink from the coffee bar, an ID holder, certificate of attendance and a set of “Blue Hawk pride” beads.

One of our speech/theater professors (Don Ehli) taped a DVD as Dr. Watson with a clue and then attended the event in costume.

Students really seemed to enjoy the event and are already asking when we will do it again. Several expressed how much fun it was to use the library in this fashion. Some said they enjoyed finding out about resources they had never used before.

The complete slide show of the photos can be seen via the link in the left hand column of this blog.

North Dakota Reads

Please join us tonight (April 17th) at 7:00 p.m. in Klinefelter 107 as Stoxen Library and the North Dakota Humanities Council sponsor the final North Dakota Reads Book Discussion. We will be talking about Susan Power ( a Native American author) and her book the Grass Dancer. Our facilitator is Karen Foster from the English Department here at Dickinson State University.

National Library Week: College Reference Desk

Check out this video for a fun take on the 72.8 million reference questions answered each year in academic libraries!

Library week & Stoxen Library Survey

National Library Week 2008

April 13-18 is National Library Week. We kicked it off early this year with a Murder at the Library event last Friday night. Check back later this week for photos and video of the event. A special thank you to Chadee Moss for suggesting and organizing this event. Thanks also to all of the students, ACS, EES and library staff who helped make it so much fun. Congratulations to the Mr. Green team on their first place finish!

Please take a minute sometime this week to complete a survey regarding your experiences at the library. Be sure to leave your contact information at the end of the survey to be entered into a random prize drawing.

Click Here to take survey

JSTOR has a new look!

JSTOR, the complete full-text archive journal database that covers the humanities, social sciences and sciences, has just completed a major upgrade to their product. The new interface has a cleaner look to it and additional searching/limiting features. Check it out...we think you will like what you see. Contact the library if you have any questions about this product.

Murder in the Library - Happening @ Your Library!

Stop by Stoxen and sign up for "Murder in the Library" happening THIS FRIDAY, April 11, 2008, from 7:30pm - 9:00pm. Join the library staff for some treats, crime solving, and prizes galore...all to kick off Library Week 2008! Spots for teams are still available so come by TODAY!

New books and AV

Remember to check the New Library Purchases page for a complete listing by month of all new materials added to the library collections. The list for March 2008 is posted.

Next North Dakota Reads book

Do you want to learn more about the deep connections between past and present generations in Sioux belief and culture? Read The Grass Dancer by Susan Power, the next North Dakota Reads title. Books are available at Stoxen Library. The book discussion is Thursday, April 17.

The author won the Ernest Hemingway Foundation Award for first fiction, 1995, for The Grass Dancer. The book conveys the stories of people on a Sioux reservation whose lives intersect and intertwine, briefly, or over a lifetime, and how their relationships affect one another. The reader meets them much as one does in real life, starting with the present and working backwards. The story unravels the mystery of why the characters behave the way they do. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one character and charts the incidents which develop his or her personality.

The characters are complex and often troubled; they struggle with the magic that swirls around them. Power hits on many aspects of an Indian's life: the gap between Indian and white culture, the problems that arise out of dual heritage, disease, spirits, magic, ancestral powers, religion, and love.

This is a book that can be read at different levels. The first read can be confusing, but a second reading reveals the depth of the work. Through her story, Powers weaves the past, present and future into the present.

Using Wikipedia to reenvision the term paper!

I have just viewed a PowerPoint presentation by two instructors who required their students to write their term papers using Wikipedia. The presentation is titled "Using Wikipedia to Reenvision the Term Paper" and has some interesting insights about what was right and what went wrong with this approach. I only viewed the PowerPoint, but the audio/video is also available. An interesting approach to say the least! The abstract states "publishing for a large audience provided authentic feedback and encouraged students to do their best work."

Stoxen Library Easter Recess Hours

Easter Recess Hours

Thursday, March 20 – 8a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Friday, Saturday,

& Sunday – March 21, 22, 23 CLOSED

Monday, March 24 – 8a.m. – 11p.m.

Regular Hours

Monday-Thursday 8a.m. – 11 p.m.

Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday 4 p.m. – 11 p.m.

North Dakota Reads tonight!

Please join us tonight (March 13th) at 7:00 p.m. in Klinefelter 107 as Stoxen Library and the North Dakota Humanities Council sponsor a North Dakota Reads Book Discussion. We will be talking about Lois Phillips Hudson ( a North Dakota born author) and her award winning book the Bones of Plenty. Originally published to critical acclaim, the Bones of Plenty is a powerful and absorbing novel about a proud, independent North Dakota wheat-farming family and its struggles during the depression years of 1933 and 1934. Our facilitator is Maureen Scott a lecturer in the English Department at North Dakota State University.

The Bones of Plenty

For our next ND Reads program we will be discussing The Bones of Plenty by Lois Phillips Hudson. Lois Hudson was born and spent her early years in Jamestown, ND. The Bones of Plenty was her first novel and it won the first prize from the Friends of American Writers.

The Bones of Plenty has been described as taking a “brutally accurate” look at the hardships of farm life during the depression. The story is placed near Eureka, North Dakota during 1933-1934. It depicts drought, landlords and bank failures along with the many other daily struggles of farm life. Written as a series of episodes almost like a journal, the book leaves you with a vivid impression of the day to day life experience of the Custer family. Pick up this wonderful book and finish with a greater understanding of the depression years and feeling that you lived for a short while on that farm.

New books and more

Remember to check the New Library Purchases page for a complete listing by month of all new materials added to the library collections. The list for Feb. 2008 has just been posted.

The Academic Success Center (ASC) invites you to join us for the third "Nourishment and Knowledge" workshop of the semester. Mark your calendar now to join us for lunch and an exchange of ideas on this topic:

Overcoming Roadblocks to Student Success #2:

Accommodating Students with Disability Services

Student Center room 18

Monday, March 10, 2008

12:00-12:50 P.M.

Missi Baranko with Disability Services and Kelly Mattis with Educational Enhancement Services will lead this workshop describing the services that DSU offers to students with documented disabilities. Conversation will center on the challenges that such students face in the university and the ways that instructors and the ASC can work together to support them. Please join in the discussion; your questions and ideas are welcome! RSVP by Thursday, March 6 in order to reserve a meal at this workshop luncheon. You may respond to Sonja Steffen (ASC Administrative Secretary) by e-mail at Sonja.Steffen@DickinsonState.edu or by telephone at 483-2999. We look forward to having you join us and our continuing conversation about teaching and learning at DSU. [If you will be away from your office during Spring Break, RSVP this week to avoid forgetting to do so next week!]

Stoxen Library Spring Break Hours

Spring Break Hours

Sat. & Sun., Mar. 1 & 2 – Closed

Mon. – Fri., March 3 – 7

8:00am – 4:30pm

Sat. March 8 – Closed

Sun. March 9 – 4:00pm – 11:00pm

Stoxen Library Regular Hours

Monday-Thursday 8a.m. – 11 p.m.

Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday 4 p.m. – 11 p.m.

What's new at the library?

Here is a session especially for staff and faculty about new products/new features and tips from your librarians. Plan to attend one of the following sessions (approximately 45 minutes):

Wednesday, Feb. 27 – 3 pm or
Thursday, Feb. 28 – 2 pm

These sessions will be held in the classroom on the lower level of the library. Please RSVP to Eileen (483-2136 or eileen.kopren@dickinsonstate.edu) if you plan to attend.

College Library Website of the Month!

The Communication Committee of the Association of College and Research Libraries has named Stoxen Library's website their Feb. 2008 College Library Website of the Month. Their full review of our site can be found here.

More Opportunities from the ASC

Are your students having difficulty managing conflict? The Academic Success Center is offering a workshop to help students learn to manage conflict before it manages them.
Academic Success Center

Academic Skills Enhancement Workshop

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?: Managing Differences
Tuesday, February 26th at 1:00 P.M.

Student Center Room 112

Students will discover productive techniques for dealing with the conflicts that inevitably arise in life. Conflict may be unavoidable, but it doesn't always have to have negative results. Students will learn how to handle conflict in a healthy way.

Do your students take notes during lectures or discussions in your classes? Do you assign reading for which they take notes? If so, they may appreciate the help that the ASC is offering them:
Academic Success Center

Academic Skills Enhancement Workshop

Put It in Writing: Note Taking Techniques to Get the Most Out of Class and Into Your Brain

Thursday, February 28 at 9:00 A.M.

Student Center Room 112

If you have a class during this time, please feel free to bring the entire class to the workshop. If your class is not at this time, you may still encourage your students to attend. If you would like to offer credit for their attending this workshop but cannot attend yourself, simply contact us at the ASC; we keep attendance rosters to help you determine who form your class attended.
Please reply to tell if your class will attend and how many students you will bring. You may send your reply to Sonja Steffen (ASC Administrative Secretary) at Sonja.Steffen@dickinsonstate.edu or by telephone at 483-2999. We hope to see you at this workshop or at another one soon!

Fun Valentine's Day Facts

Okay, so this isn't totally library related...but it's fun! These facts are from the ResourceShelf News. Look for the North Dakota connection:

1,198
Number of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2005. These establishments employed 38,718 people. California led the nation in the number of such establishments with 128, followed by Pennsylvania with 121.

26 pounds
Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2006.

$411 million
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2006 for all flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting for about three-quarters of this amount ($316 million).

6%
The percentage of currently married women who have been married for at least 50 years. Just more than half of currently married women have been married for at least 15 years.

Romantic-sounding places to spend Valentine’s Day:
Roseville, Calif.
Rose City, Mich.
South Heart, N.D.
Loveland, Colo.
Darling township,
Minn.Loveland, Ohio
Romeo, Colo

More opportunities from the Academic Success Center

Three new workshops are being offered by the Academic Success Center.

While some of our students excel in math-related courses, others find "thinking mathematically" a challenge. The ASC is offering a workshop to help those students with one of the biggest challenges they face: performing their best on math exams.
Academic Success Center

Academic Skills Enhancement Workshop

Crunching Numbers: Techniques for Triumphing on Math Tests

Tuesday, February 19, 200812:00 - 12:50

P.M.Student Center Room 112

Have you ever had students that have difficulties when taking a test. The Academic Success Center is offering a workshop to help students learn how to handle the stress of taking tests.
Academic Success Center

Academic Skills Enhancement Workshop

The Out the Brain Freeze: Conquering Test Anxiety

Wednesday, February 20th at 2:00 P.M.

Student Center Room 112

Have you ever had students tell you that they need more money for college but they don't know how to go about getting it. The Academic Success Center is offering a workshop to help students find and apply for scholarships and grants and FAFSA tips.
Academic Success Center

Academic Skills Enhancement Workshop

Show Me the Money!: Finding and applying for Scholarships, Grants, FAFSA Tips

Wednesday, February 27th at 10:00 A.M.

Student Center Room 18

This workshop addresses such things as scholarships and grants, and the differences between the two. There will also be clues onto which grants and scholarships might be available to certain students and how to effectively apply for them.

If you have a class during these times, please feel free to bring the entire class to the workshop. If your class is not at this time, you may still encourage your students to attend. If you would like to offer credit for their attending this workshop but cannot attend yourself, simply contact us at the ASC; we would gladly provide you with a copy of the attendance roster. Please reply to tell if your class will attend and how many students you will bring. You may send your reply to Sonja Steffen (ASC Administrative Secretary) at Sonja.Steffen@dickinsonstate.edu or by telephone at 483-2999. We hope to see you at this workshop or at another one soon!

MIND CANDY?

See what you are feeding you're brain.

The Brain Food Pyramid @ Stoxen Library can help you nourish your brain.

(Notice the top of the pyramid is all our favorite: mind candy?)

North Dakota Reads tonight!

Tonight (February 11th) at 7:00 p.m. in Klinefelter 107 Stoxen Library and the North Dakota Humanities Council are sponsoring a North Dakota Reads Books Discussion. We will be talking about Louise Erdrich ( a North Dakota author) and her award winning book of stories Love Medicine. Please come out and join us. Our guest speaker is Cindy Nichols an instuctor of creative writing and literature at North Dakota State University.

Library Hours - President's Day Holiday

Stoxen Library Hours

President’s Day Holiday Hours

Saturday Feb. 16 - Closed

Sunday Feb. 17 – Closed

Monday Feb. 18 – 4:00pm – 11:00pm

Regular Hours

Monday-Thursday 8a.m. – 11 p.m.

Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday 4 p.m. – 11 p.m.

New Plagiarism DVD

We have a new plagiarism DVD available at the Library. The run time is 18 minutes with six “chapters.” The chapter titles are “Introduction,” “Types of Plagiarism,” “Organization,” “Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing,” “Documentation and Citation,” and “Conclusion.” There is a Discussion Questions and Activities component (Academic Fraud, Organizing Time, Using Note Cards, When to Use Quotes, Paraphrasing and Citation).

The publisher description recommends a 7 – 12 grade level. However, the “students” interviewed about the consequences of getting caught plagiarizing give college examples (“I lost my scholarship”), so I saw nothing in the DVD that “talks down” to students.

There are a couple of ways that I think this DVD could be used. Because the “chapters” are only about three – four minutes each, one could selectively show one or two for class discussion. We would also be willing to put the DVD on reserve for viewing by a class on their own time.

The call number is: DVD PN167.A96 2004. For a while, it will be displayed with the new DVDs on the cart by the Lower Level Service Desk.

Two New ASC workshops

If you have students who struggle with understanding what they read in their textbooks, the ASC is offering a workshop that can help:

Academic Success Center

Academic Skills Enhancement Workshop

In One Eye and Out the Other:Reading and Using Your Textbooks Effectively

Tuesday, February 12th at 2:00 P.M.

Student Center Room 112

Some of your students might benefit from advice on studying: how to create an environment and to exercise behaviors conducive to concentration while studying. The ASC is offering them some help:

Academic Success Center

Academic Skills Enhancement Workshop

Caution! Scholar at Work:

Controlling Your Study Environment and Habits

Student Center Ballroom

Wednesday, February 13th at 2:00 pm

If you have a class during this time, please feel free to bring the entire class to the workshop. If your class is not at this time, you may still encourage your students to attend. If you would like to offer credit for their attending this workshop but cannot attend yourself, simply contact us at the ASC; we would gladly provide you with a copy of the attendance roster. Please reply to tell us if your class will attend and how many students you will bring. You may send your reply to Sonja Steffen (ASC Administrative Secretary) at Sonja.Steffen@dickinsonstate.edu or by telephone at 483-2999. We hope to see you at this workshop or at another one soon!

Welcome back, Katrina Beaudoin!

Make sure to stop by Stoxen Library and say “hello” to Katrina Beaudoin, who returned this past January. Katrina is our new Circulation Supervisor/ Office Manager and we are glad to have her back! Katrina previously attended DSU for three years and also worked for us as an Evening Supervisor back in 2005 after she returned home from finishing her B.A. in English from the University of North Dakota.

Katrina is from Dickinson, but we recently stole her from Manhattan, Kansas—where she worked in the Interlibrary Loan, Government Documents/Maps, and General Reference Services departments as the Microforms Unit Manager in Hale Library at Kansas State University. She decided to return home after almost two years there, realizing she really missed helping the people from her home state with their library needs. You will find her hopping around Stoxen, helping student staff at the front desk and processing over due notices.

If you need to check out any library equipment, she’s the one to help you with that! Have an item to place on Reserve? Stop by and talk with her, she’d be glad to do that for you! Katrina plans to start her master’s degree in Library and Information Science soon, but currently is working full-time for us here at Stoxen, and also part-time at the Dickinson Area Public Library, bringing over ten years of library experience here to help at Stoxen! You may also find her running around outside--Katrina is an avid runner, logging over 6 miles every morning! Welcome back, Katrina!

Where Did Corina Go?

See Corina Zalesky in her new office/position.

The Library Assistant in Stoxen Library can help you with your Interlibrary Loan needs. You’ll find her busy processing books, collecting stats and compiling work study data in addition to all the services she helped you with as office manager/circulation supervisor.

Check out the new equipment available @ your library!

Now available for checkout at Stoxen Library for classroom/instructional use:

Four Sony Handycam Digital Video Camcorders

These digital video camcorders may be checked out by faculty, students and staff at no charge. Students must have an Equipment Permission Slip signed by their instructor to use the equipment, which is available at Stoxen library or online at http://dickinsonstate.com/pdf/lib_equipment.pdf

Equipment included in checkout:
Case, power adaptor, power cord, USB cable, rechargeable battery, tripod, and AV connection cable. Instruction booklets are available upon request.

Camcorders will take moving, as well as still images, and are recorded onto mini DVD discs, either DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. However, Stoxen library does not supply these discs, just the camcorders. Loan period for this equipment is four hours.

Don’t forget to bring your DSU ID along to check out the camcorders and all other library materials. Reservations for equipment are encouraged! For more information, or to place a reservation, call Stoxen Library at 483-2135 today!

Congratulations, Faith!

On December 17, 2007, S. Faith Wanner graduated from the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, with a Master’s degree in Library Science. Beginning in fall semester of 2005, she completed the coursework through the Web Institute. Accredited by the American Library Association, the School of Library and Information Sciences prepares “information professionals of the highest quality to serve the state, the region, and the global community.” Faith began working at DSU in 2003. Assuming the position of Head of Technical Services, S Faith is now responsible for collection development, acquisitions, and account management activities, cataloging and classifying all library materials, maintaining the online catalog, coordinating interlibrary loan services, managing online databases, and assisting the Head of Public Services to provide reference and public service to the community.

7 Things You Should Know About Lulu

Hmmm...sounds rather provocative, doesn't it? Actually, Lulu is a web based tool for those wanting to self publish something (book, brochure, report, etc.). It is a service that provides access to the tools that one needs to design, publish and print original material. It can even be used by faculty to publish their own textbooks.

The "7 Things You Should Know About..." is a series from EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative that deals with emerging information technologies. Each "brief" focuses on a single technology. Other recent technologies in the series have included Skype, Twitter, Citizen Journalism and Haptics to name a few.