Happy National Library Week! 

With national library week finally upon us, some may wonder what National Library Week actually is. National Library Week is a yearly celebration that emphasizes the importance of libraries & their staff in their respective communities. Libraries have a plethora of resources that help build the community and they act as a central hub in the community connecting their members to the resources they may need, inspiring growth/change. While libraries have always been important, National Library Week wasn’t always a thing. Around the mid to late 1950’s, many people were spending less time reading and more time with radios, tvs, and other activities. To encourage more Americans to read, the ALA formed a nonprofit organization called the National Book Committee. One of their many plans involved National Library Week, which was a plan developed to encourage more people to read so libraries could have more support and see more use. The first National Library Week took place in 1958 and now we are celebrating the 65th anniversary of the event.

If you would like to read more about National Library Week, read here

To celebrate National Library Week, we at MVCC Library are having our very own 2nd “Hue-mongous” coloring event where students can color any number of pictures we have on display. Students can also donate a $1 that will go to the student scholarship fund and have their picture hung up in the library.

(Fun fact-  Coloring is known to relieve stress because of the way it calms the brain and relaxes the body. Because of that, coloring is know to improve sleep while helping with body aches, heart rate, and feelings of depression/anxiety)

EDZTER on-campus access has been restored. If you have any questions, please ask a librarian.

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EDZTER (our digital magazine database) is currently inaccessible if you are on-campus. Access continues to work if you are off-campus or using the mobile app.

The library is working with the vendor to get this resolved. If you have any questions, please ask a librarian.

April is a month for us to celebrate libraries, including both National Library Week and School Library Month.  Libraries have served as storehouses of information since ancient times, dating back to the 7^th century BC with the library of Ashurbanipal located in present day Iraq. Libraries have existed throughout history to preserve information for future generations, but it was only within the past two centuries that libraries became public institutions open to all. Peterborough Town Library, the world’s first public library, funded by taxes, did not open until 1833 in New Hampshire.  Public libraries grew in number across the United States thanks largely to donations from wealthy philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie.  Carnegie alone funded nearly 1,700 libraries across the country, no doubt many of us in the Chicago area have visited one. Encyclopedia Britannica has a great article where you can learn more about the history of libraries.    College libraries, like the Moraine Valley Community College Library, are staffed with certified librarians who are trained in research and instruction and ready to help support your information needs. They also have great collections of books available for you to check out in a variety of formats.  Libraries hold such a fond spot in our hearts, they often end up the topic of bestselling novels. In honor of all that libraries do, let’s look at some great library themed books available for you to check out through Moraine Valley Community College Library’s subscription to eRead.  Here is a Digital Resource Help guide in case you need help getting logged on.