'Tis the Season...for Research Papers

Oh joy, it's that time of the semester when research papers loom. Did you know that you have librarians at your beck and call, just waiting to help you out? You can stop by the Reference Desk any hour that the library is open to get face-to-face help. Or you can get 24/7 online help by using our AskUsNow! service. Use your smart phone or computer to go to the Library website and click the AskUsNow! icon found on the home page.

Group Study Rooms

Studying for a test with your study group? Need a place to prepare for a group presentation or a speech? The Library has group study rooms that you can check out, equipped with whiteboards, markers, and some with PCs and TVs. Group Study Rooms on the 1st floor are available on a first-come-first-served basis and can be checked out at the Circulation Desk. Group Study Rooms on the 2nd floor can be reserved at the Media Desk for a particular day and time. There's even a single person study room that you can reserve. The Media Desk also has laptops and voice recorders that you can check out. We have what you need to succeed!

Trying to Think of a Topic for Your Research Paper?

If you need a topic for an upcoming research paper and inspiration hasn't struck, try browsing the topics found in the following sources. The Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center gives you a list of all their topics when you click on "Browse Issues" from the top menu. CQ Researcher also gives you a list of topics when you click on "Browse Topics" in the top menu. Finally, you can get topic ideas from the New York Times Topics Page These lists just might spark that "ah-ha!" moment and help you decide on a topic for your paper.

Come Watch the Film, "Koran by Heart" on Tues., Oct. 29 at 1pm

The next Bridging Cultures: Muslim Journeys film will be shown in Griffin Gate on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1:00-2:30pm. Koran by Heart is about 100 of Islam’s best young students from around the world come to Cairo for the International Holy Koran Competition. Many are in their late teens, some as young as seven. Koran by Heart follows the progress of three scholars, a girl and two boys, all ten years old, as they compete against students who, in some instances, are nearly twice their age. Scheduled during Ramadan, the two-week event is both grueling and exhilarating. Koran by Heart captures the skill, determination, and faith of the young competitors, but never lets the viewer forget that they are children: the solemn girl we watch as she accepts a prize from the president of Egypt is the same high-spirited kid who squeals with delight on her first camel ride. Afterwards, come to the library and take a look at the library's display board, located by the Reference Desk, that shows all the amazing books and films available from this collection. Questions? Contact Nadra Farina-Hess at 644-7283.

How to Save Big on Textbook Purchases

6 steps to saving big on textbook purchases: 1) See if the Library has what you need in Textbook Reserves. 2) During the 1st week of the semester, go to the Library and request that we purchase a particular textbook for our Textbook Reserves. 3) Rent your textbooks from the Grossmont College Bookstore. Or check out Chegg.com 4) Check free sources, like OpenStaxCollege.org, 5) Comparison shop at CampusBooks.com, DealOz.com, and Bigwords.com. 6) Consider e-texts--Inkling, a free iPad app, offers e-book versions of popular textbooks for as little as 99 cents a chapter.

Showing of the film "Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World" on Oct 2 at 2:15pm

Please join us for the public performance of the film, Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World on Wednesday, October 2 at 2:15 (90 min)in Griffin Gate (room 60-180) This ninety-minute film takes audiences on an epic journey across nine countries and over 1,400 years of history. It explores the richness of Islamic art in objects big and small, from great ornamented palaces and the play of light in monumental mosques to the exquisite beauty of ceramics, carved boxes, paintings and metal work. It revels in the use of color and finds commonalities in a shared artistic heritage with the West and East. The film also examines the unique ways in which Islamic art turns calligraphy and the written word into masterpieces and develops water into an expressive, useful art form. Like all art, Islamic art carries with it the fundamental values and perspectives of the artists who created it as well as those who commissioned and paid for it. It incorporates the basic themes of transcendent beauty common to all creative endeavors. The film reveals the variety and diversity of Islamic art, offering a window into Islamic culture and a variety of perspectives on enduring themes that have propelled human history and fueled the rise of world civilization over the centuries. This film is the second of three films being shown as part of the Bridging Cultures: Muslim Journeys Bookshelf grant. Please contact Nadra Farina-Hess at 644-7283 with questions.

Register Today for LIR 110 -- 8 Week Class Starts Oct. 14, 2013

Do you need another unit? Are you planning on transferring to National University or other college which requires you take a library research class? Sign up for LIR 110! This 8 week class starts Oct. 14. This is an online class using Blackboard. Register today on WedAdvisor!

Scholarship Opportunity!

Are you transfer bound with a gpa of 3.5 or higher and in financial need? If so, you might earn up to $30,000 per year in scholarship funds! Learn more details here: http://www.jkcf.org/scholarships/undergraduate-transfer-scholarships/

Library Research Made Easy Workshop

Learn how to explore our full library in one easy search. Learn to email articles, read ebooks, and create MLA citations, even if you've never used a library before. The workshop is free! Come join us. Click this event signup link

Public Performance of "Prince Among Slaves" on Sept. 24, 2013

You are invited! Come watch Prince Among Slaves, one of the new films from our Muslim Journeys Bridging Cultures collection. The public performance is on Tuesday, September 24, 2013, 12:30 to 1:30 in Griffin Gate (room 60-180). Afterwards, come to the library and take a look at our display board, located by the Reference Desk, that shows all the amazing books and films available from this collection.

New Library Hours for Fall 2013

Beginning Fall 2013, the Library will be open until 9pm. Here are the new Library hours--Mon-Thur: 8:00am-9:00pm. Fri: 8:00am-3:00pm. Sat-Sun: closed.

Muslim Journeys Bridging Cultures Bookshelf

In January 2013 the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded Grossmont College the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf, a collection of 25 books, 3 films, and access for one year to Oxford Islamic Studies Online. Our college has dedicated the spring and fall 2013 semesters to collaborating with instructors and others to introduce our students and community members to the complex history and culture of Muslims in the United States and around the world. The collection of materials, which is housed in the Grossmont College Library, has been divided into five themes: Connected Histories, Literary Reflections, American Stories, Pathways of Faith, and Points of View. Each of these themes is expected to engage audiences in reflection and conversation. Read more about this amazing collection by going to http://libguides.grossmont.edu/muslimjourneys

From Auto Repair to Small Business Start Ups--Grossmont Library Has It All

Libraries aren't just about research papers and school assignments, you know. Grossmont Library has a database that can help you repair your own car or start up your own business. Check out the "Auto Repair Reference Center" and the "Gale Small Business Resource Center" from our Database List http://libguides.grossmont.edu/databases

Term Paper Clinics

The Library is offering Term Paper Clinics--see the schedule below! Friendly librarians will be waiting to assist you in finding books and articles on your topic, or to answer any questions you have about creating citations or formatting research papers. There's no need to enroll. Just drop by the Library Instruction Lab (70-267) anytime during the times listed below. You can stay for an entire session or a portion of a session—whatever works with your schedule. Term Paper Clinics Tues., April 30, 9:00am-11:00am Thurs., May 2, 1:30pm-3:30pm Mon., May 6, 8:30am-10:30am Fri., May 10, 12:30pm-2:30pm

AskUsNow! Reference Chat Service

Studying late at night? No time to stop by the library to get some research help? Then we have just the service for you! Use the "AskUsNow!" reference chat service to connect with a librarian who can answer your questions. When is this service available? 24/7! How do you find it? Go to the Library Home Page (http://www.grossmont.edu/library) and look for the "AskUsNow!" icon towards the bottom left-side of the page.

Self-Library Tours through QR Codes

Do you like scavenger hunts? Did you know that scattered throughout the library are QR codes for which students, faculty, and staff can access a personal tour of the library? Simply scan the QR code with your smart phone and an MP3 will download to your phone. Access eight different audio guides that highlight the different services the library provides. The audio tour is available online as well with accompanying transcripts. Find more information at http://www.grossmont.edu/library/libraryinformation/library_tour.asp

Additional Classes Being Offered!

Grossmont College has a place for you! New classes are being added as a result of the passage of Prop. 30. We have some classes that will start this Monday (12 week) and then additional 10 week classes will begin March 11 and even more 8 week classes beginning April 1. Find new classes through WebAdvisor from our http://www.grossmont.edu website.

3 Things You May Not Know About the Library

One: You can check out a graphing calculator for 1 week from the Circulation Desk; Two: You can bring your laptop and your favorite cup of joe to our eChat Cafe area and relax in one of our comfy chairs; Three: We have a single person study room available for check-out from the Media Desk.

Textbooks on Reserve Request forms

The semester begins next week and you'll want to know about the Library's Textbooks on Reserve program. The library has a number of textbooks available for limited loan (usually for 3 hrs. but you can use them for as long as you want while in the library). During the first week and a half of the semester, if we don't have a textbook that you need, you can request that the library purchase it. We place the books in Reserves, located by the Circulation Desk. Here's the dates you'll need to know: January 28 to February 6: Come to the Reference Desk and fill out a "Textbooks on Reserve Request" form. February 7: Requests are reviewed and purchases determined (we buy as many as we have funds for). February 7, 8 and 11: We process the textbooks. February 12: Books are available on Reserve shelving.