The American Library Association website has information about the increase in book challenges in the last couple years. In 2022, ALA tracked 1,296 book challenges, nearly double the number of challenges in 2021. Every year, Banned Books Week is held to publicize these challenges and the books that are challenged. But also, Banned Books Week… Continue reading “Let Freedom Read:” Banned Books Week 2023
Author: Lori Koetters
Job Search and Career Resources
Are you graduating? (Congratulations!) Do you graduate in a year? Are you thinking about your future jobs and career? Here are some resources to help you. The Moraine Valley Job Resource Center is in Building S, Room S202. They can assist you with resume and cover letter reviews, interview skills, and possible internships. You can… Continue reading Job Search and Career Resources
Presidential Veto and Lawmaking
There was news coverage last week that President Biden might soon issue the first veto of his presidency. How does a law get to the stage of being approved by the president—or not approved, which is a veto? According to usa.gov, here is the process (very simplified): A bill is introduced by a senator or… Continue reading Presidential Veto and Lawmaking
Baking and Cooking in December
Do you have some traditional treats that you make year after year for celebrations? Are you interested in looking for something new? Here are a few cookbook suggestions that are available at the library. Breads of the World TX769 .I54 2013b Holiday Cookies TX772 .H65 2014 The World on a Plate TX725.A1 H5674 2015 The… Continue reading Baking and Cooking in December
What’s My Topic?
Is it time to start thinking about a topic for your paper or your speech? You might want to look at SIRS Researcher to get some ideas. SIRS Researcher is one database available through the Library website. In SIRS Researcher, you can browse topics and categories. You may find a topic that you have always… Continue reading What’s My Topic?
New Words to Use in Scrabble
The new edition of the official Scrabble dictionary has added hundreds of new words, such as sheeple, bitcoin, emoji, and puggle. Other big news in the Scrabble world is that the word “OK” is now acceptable. Scrabble has been around since the 1930s but it needs to change as language changes. The library does not… Continue reading New Words to Use in Scrabble
MLA and APA Citation Information
Classes have started. You see on the syllabus that you will need to provide MLA or APA citations for an assignment or for a paper. Maybe that is new to you—or maybe you don’t remember the details from your high school classes. The library can help! You can stop by the library and talk to… Continue reading MLA and APA Citation Information
“Insightful” Google Searches
Do you always accept the top Google results as factual? Are you sure? An old standby in the research world is now ready to give you some help. Encyclopaedia Britannica has a new Chrome extension, “Britannica Insights,” that adds information to the top right of the results page when you search for something. There are… Continue reading “Insightful” Google Searches
Fast Food History
Most of us have eaten at McDonald’s. Do you know how the company started? Two brothers in California developed a system in the 1950s to serve just a few quality items quickly at their hamburger stand. They were the McDonald brothers and, at the time, they were pretty satisfied with their company and product. But… Continue reading Fast Food History
Rating Biographies of the Presidents
There are many, many presidential biographies. Now someone is reading many of them for you, rating them, and providing reviews on his blog. Stephen Floyd is an investment banker and an “avid fan of American history.” He has merged his love of American history and great biographies to focus on finding the best biographies of… Continue reading Rating Biographies of the Presidents