"Oops! ...I Did It Again": New Year's Resolutions and How to Keep from Making the Same Mistakes

The pop song "Oops! ...I Did It Again" makes reference to a hurtful habit in personal relationships.  There are many things from different parts of our lives that cause each of us to say the phrase with regret. 

The New Year is a time to take stock of the previous year's achievements, disappointments, and hopes,  to consider personal changes to make during the upcoming year.  Resolutions are a common part of that change-making process.  Typical goals involve losing weight and getting fit; advancing in academics or career; overcoming addictions to alcohol, substances, or gambling; and making changes toward improving relationships.

Though change is difficult it can be achieved.  SWOSU libraries have many books to assist with behavior changes that can lead to a better quality of life.  They are about each of the topics listed above or about the principles for change as described in  Change Anything and Influencer by Kerry Patterson.  See the book display, providing ideas and techniques for success throughout the year, on the first floor of the Al Harris Library.  The books are available for check out.  Make 2015 a year in which you say "Oops! ...I Did It Again" fewer times.

Mystery Novels for the New Year

     Why do readers love mystery?  Do they love the thrill of the chase, saving the damsel in distress, or catching the bad guy?  The answer is probably all three.  When reading a mystery novel, the reader is thrown into a world that is full of danger and suspense.  The reader is given the same clues as the characters in the novels, and the reader has to put the clues together just like the hero/detective in the story to figure out who is the suspect or scoundrel.

     At the end of the novel, we readers have saved the damsel in distress and caught the villain without ever stepping outside our own front doors. 

Humphrey Bogart stars
in this Sam Spade mystery
Video  791.4372 M2615

Sherlock, Season 3
Video  791.45 S5527

     If you are interested in catching a fictional villain, check out some of these great novels, movies, and television shows that are available at the Al Harris Library.  To get you started, here are examples from the three different areas. 

Book by Robert Galbraith
 aka JK Rowling

823 R8847c 

                         

Exam Prep: It's Never Too Early!

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Whether you study weeks in advance or cram the night before an exam, one of the most effective ways to study is by using flashcards! Check out this infographic to see why flashcards work and how to use them effectively!

If pen and paper aren't your thing, check out Quizlet, a FREE online flashcard creator. Here, you can create flashcards about virtually anything and Quizlet automatically generates tests and study games from your flashcards! Quizlet allows users to import images, data sets, and use multiple languages in their flashcards and provides standard definitions or answers for thousands of terms and concepts!

Quizlet is also available on your mobile devices for free! Download the iOS or Android app to study anywhere!

The 'Terrible Swift Sword' of the Depression: Enter John Steinbeck

The year 2014 marks the 75^th anniversary of the publication of John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath.  The book won the National Book Award in 1939 and, a year later, the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  Many Americans only know this great American classic because of John Ford’s 1940 film that starred Henry Fonda as Tom Joad.

The book has inspired folk songs, theatrical adaptations, the film, and much discussion.   Steinbeck’s title is taken from Revelations 14:19 and the 1861 song “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”  It provides a symbolic connection with the story as Steinbeck moves his characters to “the promised land” of California. This movement provides an excellent connection because the author created The Grapes of Wrath to focus on economic exploitation in Depression-era California.

As a result, the book angered and moved Americans when it appeared in 1939 and has since remained one of the most widely debated novels in American letters. It has been called “painstakingly accurate, utterly false, obscene, utopian, apolitical, and profoundly political.” When it was written, the text brought about questions regarding the apparent failure of the American Dream.  It was banned from schools and libraries in Steinbeck’s home county of Salinas California  until 1941.

The Grapes of Wrath leaves us with much to discuss and consider regarding the events of the Depression.  Come by the library to examine the display and take a look at the resources that relate to Steinbeck and his work as well as resources about the Great Depression in America.  Check out one of these resources and discover that there is much to be learned from the events of America’s past.

Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead also called "Dia de los Muertos," is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and Latin America. The Day of the Dead is also celebrated in the United States and many cities like Dallas, San Francisco and Chicago, feature prominent parades and festivals. 

José Guadalupe Posada

November 2nd is the official date for Day of the Dead, although it is celebrated between October 31st and November 2nd. These dates correspond with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. This correspondence results from the Catholic Church's efforts to "find similarities between the indigenous and Christian beliefs." This celebration has a complex history that has been transformed through the years.

 Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) is a lasting symbol of the Day of the Dead. His skeletal folk art and political satire combined perfectly to express the attitudes of working class Mexican people. Come by the library this late October to see Posada’s work on display as well as our collection of films and books celebrating the Day of the Dead.

Fall Break--A Good Time to Read for Fun

It's almost Fall Break, so what better time to read a good book? Check out the young adult fiction display to see many great books that won't take you long to read.  Take a trip to Terabithia, join Harry Potter at Hogwarts, visit Narnia, check out the heroes of Olympus with Percy Jackson, or solve mysteries with Theodore Boone.  There are many locations to explore and lots of interesting characters to meet by reading one of these books.

You may not be able to travel far during the break, but you will have the opportunity to visit great places by reading young adult fiction.  All of the titles on the display and many others are available for your reading pleasure at the Al Harris Library.

Banned Books Week 2014

Many libraries, including the Al Harris Library, will be celebrating Banned Books Week and the freedom to read during the week of September 21-27.   Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.  Hundreds of books are challenged or removed from libraries in the United States each year.  

More information on banned/challenged books can be found on the American Library Association's frequently challenged books pages.

We hope you will come by the Library and see our display of just some of the hundreds of books that have been banned or challenged over the years.

Let's celebrate our freedom to read!