What We’re Reading: Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin

Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin, translated by Aneesa Abbas Higgins
Available at the Main Campus
(PQ 2704 .U87 H5813 2021)

It’s winter in Sokcho, a tourist town on the border between South and North Korea. The cold slows everything down. A young French Korean woman works as a receptionist in a tired guesthouse. One evening, an unexpected guest arrives: a French cartoonist determined to find inspiration in this desolate landscape. She agrees to accompany him on trips to discover an “authentic” Korea, [b]ut he takes no interest in the Sokcho she knows. As she’s pulled into his vision and taken in by his drawings, she strikes upon a way to finally be seen. –adapted from the publisher summary

Title: Winter in Sokcho

Author: Elisa Shua Dusapin

Genre: Literary fiction; Novella

Read Great Things 2023 Categories: A book about an experience different than your own; A book that piques your curiosity; A book recommended by a Durham Tech staff member on the Library blog

This book was read by Kyle Minton, Reference Librarian.


Why did you choose to read this book?

I’m not too proud to admit it: Winter in Sokcho has an incredibly inviting physical design. The postcard-as-book-cover approach promises big feelings, but the generous use of white space inside offers plenty of contemplation between what ends up being a very sensual reflection on one’s own romantic and professional destinies.

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Read Great Things Challenge 2022: Ends December 31st! Read and win a prize!

Durham Tech Library Read Great Things Challenge 2022
Did you know you can submit your Read Great Things Challenge form online?

As temperatures drop and the leaves fall, the Durham Tech community has a very important event on the horizon. No, not the end of the fall semester, but the conclusion of the Read Great Things Challenge 2022 on December 31st!

For the last five years, Durham Tech Library has held a fun, no-pressure initiative to keep students, staff, and community members reading throughout the calendar year. Plus, there are prizes to be awarded sometime in January 2023 for those who successfully submit their challenge form!

All types of books count toward the 12 categories, and you only need to fill in 10 of the 12 to qualify for a prize! One book can count for up to two categories, so there is still plenty of time to listen to a short audiobook, enjoy a graphic novel, or even grab one of our vintage paperbacks available in the main campus library. You can read more about the categories on our online guide, where we also have the form that you can submit from the cozy comfort of your home.

What are Read Great Things Challenge Categories?

You can find all of the 2022 categories in the online guide here. One of the categories is “Pick your favorite category from one of our past reading challenges.” The past reading challenges are located on that same guide, just navigate to the previous years using the menu on the left side of the screen.

“But I don’t have TIME to read books before December 31st!”

You would be surprised! Again, a book can qualify for two categories and any type of book is valid! You could even unwind with a few online comic books through Dogwood Digital Library, which would work as “An Artsy Book.”

“I am always driving and never have the time to sit with a book!”

Audiobooks are books! From the convenience of your smartphone and the Libby app (iOS, GooglePlay) you can download audiobooks from the Dogwood Digital Library and play them through your phone. It might not make the traffic disappear, but it is more fun than listening to ads on the radio.
Please note: We encourage you to load up on audiobooks and hit play before you drive. Do not operate your smartphone while driving.

Remember, the deadline is a submission by December 31st. Feel free to fill out the digital form linked at the top of this post during winter break. The library will reach out in January 2023 to those who successfully completed the challenge.

Users should also feel free to deliver paper challenge sheets to the library desk when we are open, but please be mindful of our holiday hours as the library will be closed for winter break after December 16th.

New Resource: Universal Class

New Resource! Universal Class

Durham Tech Libraries is happy to announce a new database with exciting professional development opportunities: Universal Class, a learning platform that hosts full-length courses and offers accredited continuing education certificates upon successful completion.

Durham Tech students may have heard of other online continuing education platforms such as Khan Academy or Goodwill’s GCFLearnFree. The course topic variety and assessment structure offered by Universal Class makes it an excellent alternative to those platforms. Class topics range from personal finance lessons to soap making, making it an exciting addition to the professional and educational skills gained in Durham Tech programs.

Durham Tech students and faculty will need a Durham Tech library card number in order to access this database. This can be obtained with a Durham Tech ID card at our Main Campus Library or Orange County Campus Library locations.

Continue reading this blog post for an in-depth look at utilizing Universal Class to reach and expand your lifelong educational goals.

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Grow Your Career (Or Your Home!) With These New Construction & Trades Books

Durham Tech’s Building, Engineering, and Skilled Trades classes offer a variety of hands-on, skill-building courses that include carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, and more. These classes can result in rewarding and lucrative careers. For example, in May 2021, The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated an electrician’s median wage as $22.75 an hour vs. $18.45 for all occupations. That’s shocking!

Students can get a jump start on a career and education in Construction & Trades using library resources, including new books on updated electrical standards, plumbing, or home renovation. We also offer an online research guide for Construction and Industrial Trades that contains additional resources.

If you are unable to visit or are short on time, you are in luck as we also offer a whole host of videos on various trades. For example, Durham Tech students can access videos on plumbing, carpentry, and electrician work through Films-on-Demand.

Keep reading to see our full selection of new construction and trades books!

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Local Voting Resources: Early Voting Ends Tomorrow!

Voting Resources

On November 8, North Carolinians will cast their ballots for the 2022 midterm elections. Non-presidential elections often see fewer than half of the total eligible voters cast their ballot during midterm elections, according to North Carolina’s State Board of Elections.

If you are reading this and will be at least age 18 by election day, you can make an impact by being an informed and engaged citizen and casting your ballot in November, or during the early voting period (October 20 – November 5).

Remember, you can still register to vote during the Early Voting period, which includes today (November 4th) and tomorrow! That means if you still haven’t registered to vote, you can still visit your local polling place on Saturday and register.

Register today, but keep reading this post for more books to stay informed, as well as links to local county sample ballots and other voter information.

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Explore Shakespeare & other English Classics with Digital Theatre+

Digital Theatre+. English & Theater Resources for Instructors & Students

Earlier this year we highlighted an exciting new addition to Durham Tech Library’s resources, Digital Theatre+. We’re revisiting it today to share how instructors and students alike can enjoy rich resources like streaming videos of live theatre, literary theme analysis, and more.

Click “continue reading” to see a real example of how, with Digital Theatre+, students and instructors can transform their understanding and discussions of a classic text. We use Macbeth as an example, but there are a number of other titles available to explore.

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Books for Chills, Thrills, & the Fall Season

Books for chills, thrills, & the fall season. Recommended by Durham Tech Librarians.

Happy Fall Break, everyone! We’re celebrating the season of pumpkin spice and spooky tales with a list of books you can enjoy, preferably with a mug of hot cocoa and a nice blanket.

We know spookiness isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so we’ve included some lighter fare for those who enjoy the cozier side of autumn. Continue reading for seasonal recommendations of graphic novels, audiobooks, and print books.

Psssst…don’t forget, we’ll be painting pumpkins for Crafternoon later this month! Join us on October 25th on the Orange County Campus and the 26th on Main Campus. We provide the pumpkins, and you provide the creativity!

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What We’re Reading: Persepolis

Available at the Main Campus, located in our Graphic Novel collection, downstairs in front of the center stairwell

Title: Persepolis
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Genres: memoir, history, graphic novel
2022 Read Great Things Categor(ies): A book about travel; An Artsy Book; A book about community

Political protests in Iran have been in the headlines over the past two weeks, with numerous demonstrations in the country propelled by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died while in police custody. Today I’m highlighting an accessible and personal history of conflict within and surrounding Iran from the perspective of a young woman, Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, which is available at the library.

This book was read by Main Campus Reference Librarian Kyle Minton, who loves graphic novels mixed with a history lesson. (It’s also available as a streaming film, click to read more.)

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Join us for Wearable Art (& Books for Modifying Clothes!)

Wearable art! Plus, books to keep you fashionable after the free craft events this week!

It’s Wearable Art Week for Durham Tech Libraries: We’re hosting two crafternoons on two different campuses for students and staff to make wearable art, either with provided tote bags or with shirts or shoes from home that could use a vibrant paint brush or two to look funky and fresh. Why throw an old shirt away when you could dazzle it up with some of our fabric paint?

The first Crafternoon will take place on Orange County Campus on September 27th at 11:30 AM. A second one will be held for students at Main Campus on September 28th at 1:00 PM. Find out more on the school’s event page.

If you need inspiration or want to take the practice further and start modifying or mending more clothes at home, we have some books for you. Ditch that mall trip you’ve been putting off and click continue to see the list:

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App-ly Yourself! Digital Apps for Exploring Durham Tech Libraries

Apps to explore durham tech libraries

While students and staff can explore the library’s website and its many resources on their smartphones and tablets, dedicated standalone apps for these devices can still offer a great deal of flexibility. Users may already be familiar with Libby, which grants Durham Tech users access to the wonderful Dogwood Digital Library collection, which offers popular fiction and non-fiction books. This post highlights a few other apps that provide unique ways of accessing academic materials while on the go.

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