WLA Election Results

 

Congratulations to everyone who was elected to to Wisconsin Library Association Board and Committees this year.  A special shutout goes to our very own Nicole Breed, who was elected to the Wisconsin Association of Academic Library as the Chair-Elect.  Nicole serves as the Health Services Librarian as well as being an instructor in the Library Program.  Congrats Nicole!  

Winter/Spring Hotspot & Technology Resources

 Great news!

A limited number of internet hotspots are available for students to checkout for the spring 2022 term at no cost. To request a hotspot please complete this short form by Tuesday, November 30.. Some hotspots may also be available for students registered for classes over winter term on a first-come, first-served basis. You can place a hold by emailing library@cvtc.edu or calling 715-833-6285. 

A limited number of other devices such as laptops and iPads can be reserved and checked out from the library for 30 days at a time depending on availability. 

Questions? Contact CVTC Library at 715-833-6285 or library@cvtc.edu. Pick-up locations will be held at the BEC Library and River Falls campus. For hours and locations, visit www.cvtc.edu/library. 

Introducing Our New Student Workers!

 We wanted to take a minute to share that we have four new student workers who joined us this semester!  Please extend a warm welcome and a hello next time you see them in the library!  Our student workers are an important part of the library team and we are so glad they are here!  

Abby is a student in the Paralegal Program

Tommy is a student in the IT - Software Development Program

Nat is in the IT - Network Specialist Program 

Jose is in the Mechanical Design Technology Program

Happy Banned Books Week!

 Since 1982, libraries and the greater book community, worldwide celebrate Banned Books week at the end of September.  While this may seem a strange thing to celebrate, the real celebration is about bringing attention to those books, organizations, and individuals that have been challenged and oppressed both in the past year and historically, to highlight our ongoing freedoms to read and access information.  

 Each year a theme is chosen, around which events are planned.  In 2021 the theme is "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us", meant to" draw attention to the benefits of unrestricted reading and the harms of censorship."  The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) also compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country. The Top 10 Challenged Books of 2020 are:

 

1.      George by Alex Gino. Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community.”

2.     Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds. Banned and challenged because of the author’s public statements and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people.

3.     All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism and because it was thought to promote antipolice views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now.”

4.     Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint, it was claimed to be biased against male students, and it included rape and profanity.

5.     The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of the author.

6.     Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story about Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin. Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote antipolice views.

7.     To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience.

8.     Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes and their negative effect on students.

9.     The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse.

10.   The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Challenged for profanity, and because it was thought to promote an antipolice message.

Please join us in celebrating this year's theme by visiting CVTC Library in person or visiting our Banned Books Guide.  You can learn more about Banned Books week, check out a Banned Book, and maybe win a prize!

  

Based on information found at: https://bannedbooksweek.org/about/.

Access Engineering Database

We are excited to share with all of you this exciting new database from McGraw Hill, Access Engineering.  Access Engineering is a reference and teaching platform that delivers world-renowned, interdisciplinary engineering content integrated with analytical teaching and learning tools.  

Access Engineering will help faculty prepare students to solve real-world problems.  It makes curriculum planning easy and features easy delivery options.  Access the database information to learn more about our new addition!  

JSTOR Trail Access

Just a reminder that CVTC has secured a trial to the database JSTOR until the end of September.  If you haven't had the chance to check it out please do so now and see if you would find it useful for your classes.  

Access is limited off campus during the trial, but wide open on campus.  

Please let Jen, jcook34@cvtc.edu know if you have any feedback about the trial and the database.  

Faculty Inservice Sessions

 Watch for these great sessions featuring library staff during faculty inservice!

OER/AER (No cost/Low cost) Textbooks: Are they right for your class?

Facilitators: Kim Ernstmeyer, Vince Mussehl, & Mary Purvis

This interactive session will explore questions relevant to faculty who want a better understanding of OER/AER textbooks. What is considered OER and AER? How can these resources enhance student learning? How do I get started exploring whether OER/AER textbooks fit into my classes? How do I correctly identify my courses as OER/AER when students need packets, equipment, or lab manuals for a course? Join us for a light-hearted session to work through these questions and more.

Trauma Informed Instruction & Care 

Facilitators: Nic Ashman and Kristi Hagen 

Educators and health care workers are becoming increasingly aware of the short and long-term impacts that trauma can have on students, patients and communities. However, educators and care workers can unknowingly perpetuate trauma rather than reduce it.  This session is designed to help participants understand the effects of trauma on those they work with and increase awareness of the levels and types of trauma they may interact with. The session will share about a "trauma-informed lens," ways we can mitigate the impacts of trauma and provide participants with tools that can increase learning and healing.