Library Blog Turns One in April!

Please wish the library blog a happy birthday!  Believe it or not, we have been blogging for a year!

In April of 2007, SCC Library staff started the blog to give us a place to share information about upcoming library events, highlight parts of our collection and even give useful advice. After all, aren’t libraries all about helpful information?

In honor of this event,  we want to find out your thoughts and opinions about the library blog.  Let us know what you think!

To access the survey, click on the link below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JIaTjUwZ6BSfFZWuBlYVhw_3d_3d

 Thank you in advance for taking the survey!

April 17th: First National Poem in Your Pocket Day

On Thursday, celebrate the First National Poem in Your Pocket Day by keeping a favorite poem in your pocket and sharing it with those around you!

Since this is still National Library Week, my suggestion is to put a poem about libraries in your pocket! 

So what poem is this librarian going to use? I haven’t decided yet. Perhaps this not so famous poem, by this not so famous poet:

A librarian’s life is the life for me                       
For there’s nothing at all to do, you see,             
But to sit at a desk and read new books,             
And admire yourself, and think of your looks.    
To questioning souls one can tartly say:             
I can’t be bothered with you today,                     
 For I haven’t finished this novel. See?                   
 A librarian’s life is the life for me.                         

–William Fitch Smyth, “A Librarian’s Life” (1910)

April: National Poetry Month and National Library Week!

April is a great month! Not only has Spring (finally!) arrived, there is also a lot to celebrate this month!

First of all, April is National Poetry Month. Created in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, this is an opportunity to celebrate poetry and poets all month long! For more information about National Poetry month, please go to http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/41 .

It gets even better! April 13th - 19th (this week!) is National Library Week!  Older than National Poetry Month, this week long celebration of libraries, librarians, and library resources was started in 1958 by the American Library Association. You can learn more about this celebration at http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/natlibraryweek/nlw.cfm#nlw . 

In honor of National Library Week, the SCC Library will be holding student contests, including a poetry contest and a library quiz with a chance to win great prizes like an MP3 player!

So what can you do to celebrate National Poetry Month and National Library Week? Combine the two by going to the library and checking out a book on poetry!

Use the library catalog to search for works by your favorite poet or, if you are still trying to figure out who that is, do a subject search for “poetry” for a list of titles to browse!

April’s Ebook of the Month: Retire Happy: What You Can Do NOW to Guarantee a Great Retirement

A few years back, I saw a commercial that showed a  young man at his high school graduation.  His proud parents walk up to him and ask, “Son, so what is your next step?” 

The young man replies, “I have been thinking it over, and after weighing my options, I have decided to retire!” 

He then whips off his graduation robes, revealing a velour jogging suit, the type traditionally worn by elderly men at retirement communites.

A voice announces: “In life there are some steps that can’t be skipped!”  We then learn that if we purchase product XYZ, we can skip the step of rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher!

Well, for those of you a few steps away from retirement, April’s eBook of the month is for you!  In Retire Happy: What You Can Do NOW to Guarantee a Great Retirement, the author offers tips on how to “balance financial concerns with an enriching lifestyle.”

To access eBooks, click on the Electronic Books link located on the SCC Library’s homepage, http://library.sccsc.edu; then click on the eBooks link.  If you are off-campus you will need to enter the library’s off-campus username and password. 

 Please let us know if you have any questions about this eBook of the Month!