The Freshman Fifteen

First time college students, especially those living away from home for the first time in their lives, often encounter the dreaded “Freshman Fifteen” by this point in the semester.  Everyone is excited to eat a delicious Thanksgiving  or Christmas dinner, but not everyone’s pants still fit.

Several factors play into weight gain in college.  Students who played a sport in high school don’t play in college, students living on their own are faced with cooking for themselves or eating a fast food diet, and all students, whether still living at home or not, lead more sedentary lives because of the increased time spent studying.

College is a time of adjustment.  Students are faced with increased academic expectations in their classes and must also adjust to a different physical and social environment by attending a different school with different classmates.  For some, the addition of fifteen or so pounds seems like the end of the world because their weight had never been an issue before.  Others choose to ignore it in hopes that it will go away on its own.  But some students start paying attention to how much they eat and drink and balance that out with exercise.

The TCTC Library has a selection of books that can help with “The Freshmen Fifteen”:

Sue Andrus
Instruction Librarian

Destruction of School Property

Fall 2014 has been a wonderful, successful semester for many students, faculty and staff members who are dedicated to higher education of themselves or others. Since many of us are in the midst of finalizing assignments, study sessions, presentations, and grading, etc.; the TCTC Library would like your help! We have noticed an increase in the destruction of our library books. Over the past few weeks, as tensions and stress levels have increased; we have noticed that many of our books have been returned with pencil, pen and highlighter marks, as well as liquid stains, dog-earring pages, leaving tabs or post-it notes, bite marks (perhaps from a pet or small child) and exposure to the weather. When TCTC Library items are returned in such condition, we charge a $50 book fee and a $5 processing fee. If the item is not owned by TCTC Library but was borrowed via ILL or PASCAL on behalf of TCTC (students, staff or faculty), the replacement fee is $100. Please keep this in mind when checking out and returning library materials. We strive to make the library an inviting, safe and patron-friendly academic environment for ALL. Please remember to treat all borrowed materials with care as we strive to keep book fines and replacement charges as low as possible.

Alydia C. Sims, M.Ed

Books and Movies

Every year, hundreds of movies are made and released to the big screen. Did you know that a large portion of those movies are actually adapted from books? This means many readers and movie-goers will face an important question: Should I read the book first?  This is where the libraries at TCTC can help!

The following is a list of books-turned-movies coming to theaters in the next few months. The TCTC libraries conveniently have them waiting for you to check out:

1. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (book|movie)

This is the third and final book in Collins’ extraordinarily popular The Hunger Games trilogy. The movie, however, is only covering part of the book.  The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 will be released to theatres November 20, 2015.

Release Date: November 21, 2014

Director: Francis Lawrence

Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7260188-mockingjay?from_search=true

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1951265/?ref_=nv_sr_5

2. Wild by Cheryl Strayed (book|movie)

The full title of this book is Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.  It was also an Oprah’s Book Club pick in 2013.

Release Date: December 5, 2014

Director: Jean-Marc Vallee

Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Gaby Hoffmann, Laura Dern

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12262741-wild?from_search=true

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2305051/?ref_=nv_sr_3

3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (book|movie)

This is the prequel to Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Even though The Hobbit is less than 400 pages long, it was split into a movie trilogy.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug premiered in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The third and final installment is entitled The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

Release Date: December 17, 2014

Director: Peter Jackson

Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5907.The_Hobbit?ac=1

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2310332/?ref_=nv_sr_1

4. American Sniper by Chris Kyle (book|movie)

The full title of this book is American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. It is also co-written by Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice.

Release Date: January 16, 2015

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11887020-american-sniper?from_search=true

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2179136/?ref_=nv_sr_1

5. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (book|movie)

This is the first book in the erotic romance Fifty Shades trilogy. It has topped numerous best-seller lists around the world, despite its poor critical reception. In fact, Fifty Shades of Grey has the record for the fastest-selling paperback of all time.

Release Date: February 13, 2015

Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson

Stars: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10818853-fifty-shades-of-grey?ac=1

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2322441/?ref_=nv_sr_1

6. Serena by Ron Rash (book|movie)

Ron Rash is a popular local author. He currently holds the title of Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University. He was born in Chester, SC and grew up in Boiling Springs, NC.  He holds degrees from both Gardner-Webb University and Clemson University. Serena is his fourth novel.

Release Date: February 26, 2015

Director: Susanne Bier

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Toby Jones

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2815590-serena?ac=1

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1247690/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

7. Insurgent by Veronica Roth (book|movie)

Insurgent is the second book in the Divergent trilogy. The third book, Allegiant, will be split into two movies

Release Date: March 20, 2015

Director: Robert Schwentke

Stars: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11735983-insurgent?from_search=true

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2908446/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

8. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (book|movie)

The second classic novel on the list (the other being The Hobbit) and the only book from the 19^th century!

Release Date: May 1, 2015

Director: Thomas Vinterberg

Stars: Juno Temple, Carey Mulligan, Michael Sheen

Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31463.Far_from_the_Madding_Crowd?from_search=true

Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2935476/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Allison C. Read

Tri-County Technical College

Easley Campus Library Coordinator

aread@tctc.edu

EBL Ebooks Library - available now

Through PASCAL (Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries), the Library now has access to EBL Ebook Library, which is a product of ProQuest Business.

 EBL offers content across all academic and professional subject areas. It features nearly 350,000 titles from hundreds of academic publishers. It provides a user-friendly interface with a system that surpasses the traditional model that limits access to one person at a time. EBL system of non-linear lending limits the total number of lending days per year per book but enables multiple-concurrent access. Patron can browse books and can perform full-text search within the browser. Books can be read either online or by downloading ebooks in PDF onto a PC, laptop or PDA for off line use.

 

 

EBL is currently on the Library home page as a Featured Resource.  Please see http://library.tctc.edu for the link.

 

 

Kultida Dunagin, Electronic Resources Librarian

Breast Cancer Awareness

  

Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, the library wants to bring your attention to the disease and its characteristics. Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. When breast cancer is detected early, at a localized stage, the survival rate is 98%. Early detection includes doing monthly breast self-exams, and scheduling regular clinical breast exams and mammograms. Currently doctors have determine that women should schedule their first mammogram by the end of their 40’s or early 50’s. Breast cancer can be diagnosed through multiple tests, including a mammogram, ultrasound, MRI and biopsy, yet the first option should be the mammogram unless a doctor has suggested otherwise.

  

Once a person is determined to have a malignant tumor or the diagnosis of breast cancer, the healthcare team will determine breast cancer staging to communicate how far the disease has progressed. Types of breast cancer include ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, inflammatory breast cancer, and metastatic breast cancer. There is a lot of misinformation out there. Make sure you know the facts about breast cancer. To learn more ask your doctor or check out the National Breast Cancer Foundation website at: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/.

By: Alydia Sims

Acquisitions and Cataloging

Struggling Students

It’s Week 9 of the fall semester, and by this point most students have had at least one major test or assignment in each course.  Some of those students are shocked by the grades they receive on those assessments.  First time college students hear that “college is different from high school”, “college is HARDER than high school”, and “you really have to study all the time” but usually don’t make any changes to their previous behavior, assuming that what worked in high school will continue to work in college.  Maybe it won’t work QUITE as well, so students believe that will translate into one letter grade below their usual high school performance, and they’re okay with that.  But it usually translates into two letter grades worse, now it’s past mid-term, the “last date to withdraw” is rapidly approaching, and there are limited opportunities to raise those D’s and F’s up to the C’s and B’s that transfer to 4 year colleges and keep a LIFE scholarship.

I see the looks of panic on those student’s faces as they struggle to get back on track.  There are almost 2,000 students writing some kind of English research paper this semester, and by now many have realized how incredibly important their grade on that one assignment is going to be.  They approach the librarians warily, afraid, ashamed, or embarrassed to ask for help locating sources for their papers, but they know they need assistance so they overcome their reluctance.  Other students, however, see that their grades are slipping but are spinning their wheels and trying to prove that they can do it all on their own and don’t ask for help from any services the college provides, like the Tutoring Center or Career Services.  Or even worse, they just put it in neutral and do…..nothing.  Faced with a setback, they give up and wait for the end of the semester.  Inevitably the D’s and F’s from midterms become final grades and these students’ belief that “I’m just not college material” is reinforced.

As an instructor in a Learning Community, I see how the skills and behaviors taught in the communities can help students overcome this common setback.  Students often do NOT see it, however, and tend to look at the content of the COL 105 class as something that can only be used in that class.  Or worse, they consider it “busywork” and don’t bother to do it, as if these instructors just loved grading their writing so much that they thought up dozens of different ways to annoy students just for the heck of it.  Because the writing assignments are not particularly challenging academically, students decide to perform a version of ER “triage” and attend to the most pressing issue first and cram for a Chemistry test.  However, if they had taken the “time management” portion of the Learning Community class and applied it, they’d be able to do all of their assigned work and still pass the Chemistry test.   The transfer of concepts between one class (COL 103, for example) to another (CHM 110 here) is often one of the hardest things for new students to understand.

--by Sue Andrus, Instruction Librarian

Down time reading at the TCTC libraries

At the TCTC libraries, you can find plenty of sources and information to help you with your studies.  You rely on the library for all things academic; whether it’s for homework help, sources for a big paper, or crunch-time during exams. But did you know you can also rely on the library for down-time?

We have many newspapers and popular magazines to read.  I usually work over at the Easley Campus library and, even though our library is small, we have plenty to read!  If you are interested in the local news, Easley has you covered!  We subscribe to both The Greenville News and The Easley Progress.  The same goes for the Anderson Campus library – they subscribe to USA Today and The Anderson Independent-Mail.  The main TCTC library in Pendleton has newspapers from all over the tri-county area, as well as USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

What about those magazines I mentioned?  Our Easley branch has favorites like Field & Stream, Garden & Gun, and Southern Living, to name a select few.  Anderson has Horse Illustrated, People, and Time.  And that’s just a sample.  The Pendleton library has so many I can’t even name them all… just take a look for yourself!

Maybe you don’t want to catch up on the news or gossip.  Do you prefer a lengthier read?  All three library locations have popular fiction and non-fiction titles to choose from.  You can catch up on the latest young adult series or read a book before you see it at the movies.  You can get help for your personal finances or find a fun recipe.  It’s up to you at the TCTC libraries!

--by Allison Read

Veterans’ Resources LibGuides

The library has created a resource guide to provide information concerning services for veterans at Tri-County Technical College. The guide includes library resources and services, general services for veterans at the College, community services, and important contact information. The guide address is http://library.tctc.edu/veterans. 

Kultida Dunagin

The Walk to End Alzheimer's and Dementia

On Saturday, September 20, 2014, I participated in a Walk to end Alzheimer’s and Dementia that was held by the Alzheimer’s Association. After meeting at Anderson’s Carolina Wren Park for a brief ceremony and registration period, participants of all ages, sizes and race took a mile-long walk for a very worthy cause. Most all of us know someone who has been impacted by the onset of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Here are a few facts about the illness:

·         Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

·         Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s.

·         Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years.

·         Alzheimer's has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Although current Alzheimer's treatments cannot stop Alzheimer's from progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. Today, there is a worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, and prevent it from developing.

If you suspect that you or someone you know may have these symptoms, please reach out to them and a physician as soon as possible.  The Library has database resources on Alzheimer’s.  Two links are listed below:

http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits?r=d&bucket=medicalcont&o=&n=10&m=Alzheimer%27s+Disease&l=d&searchTerm=2NTA&k=TE&seg=0&index=BA&c=1&locID=tricotec_main&secondary=false&s=2&TE=%22Alzheimer%27s+Disease%22

 

http://search.credoreference.com/content/topic/alzheimer_s_disease?searchId=185e91e5-425d-11e4-bc90-0aea1e3b2a47

 

Alydia Sims

Besides books, why should I come to the library?

If you come to the library, you know the usual things we do:  show you where books and databases are; check books out to you; shelve books; tell you how to print something from your laptop; and tell you that “no, we don’t sell scantrons”.  But what you might not know are the other things associated with our job here at TCTC.

We are on a number of TCTC committees so that we are in touch with the Campus communities (Marla is President of Faculty Senate and on the Curriculum Committee).  Some of us teach (Sue and Alydia teach a COL 105 section each). Kultida goes to the Anderson campus weekly.  Jessica works the evening shift so she sees other people than the rest of us might.  Debby and Allison keep the branches running smoothly and make sure that the libraries there are friendly and inviting.  Claudia is the history keeper of the library. She has been here over 30 years so she can tell you anything about why something happens the way it does. This helps us know what is happening in the classrooms and in the offices.

Other things that we do because we care about you:

·         Glue sandals that broke so you can go to class.
·         Make sure there is tissue and hand sanitizer available.
·         Have candy!
·         Be available for student interviews.
·         Go to student graduations (no we don’t have to do that, we just like to do that because we support you).
·         Open our information literacy workshop computer lab to students that need to study in larger areas than the collaborative study rooms.
·         Have school supplies like staplers and paperclips available.
·         Have a supply of Band-Aids (currently I think it is Hello Kitty).
·         Maintain comfy seats.
·         Have a supply of pens.

The library cares about you even when you aren’t studying.  We strive to offer a responsive and open environment for not only your research projects but other kinds of social engagement.  We would love for you to come see us.  Remember the library is the heart of your research.

 

 

 

Blog by Marla Roberson

“I Didn’t Know We HAD THAT”!

 Today I spoke to our Veterinary Tech faculty.  They have several new instructors and a new department head as well, who asked if I could show all of them the resources in their discipline that the TCTC Library provides.  There is nothing I like better than speaking to a group of people who are amazed at what our library can do!  I only talked for 15 minutes and barely scratched the surface of what’s available, but during those 15 minutes at least five of these instructors said something like “I didn’t know we HAD THAT!”  I’m fairly certain that I will be working on integrating some kind of library use or research into their classes soon, and I’m happy to do it.

If you are an instructor, are you aware of all the resources the library purchases that can be part of your curriculum?  At the bottom of the library home page http://library.tctc.edu is a collection of “Subject Guides” that are very helpful:

We also have a “Specialized Subjects” page, http://library.tctc.edu/Subjects  which has links to things you might not think library would provide, such as our Auto Repair database.

And from our Databases page, http://library.tctc.edu/Databases did you know you can read popular magazines online?  It’s available from General OneFile, a database of popular magazines.

So take some time to poke around a bit on your library’s web page – you may see something and say, “I didn’t know we HAD THAT!”

---Sue Andrus, Instruction Librarian