New Graduates & Starting Summer Session

ConGRADulations to our 2022 Durham Tech graduates!

Over 350 people earned their degrees, diplomas, and certificates during Durham Tech’s 60th Commencement Ceremony at the Durham Bull’s Athletic Park last Wednesday, May 18.

2021 MacArthur Fellow and 2002 Durham Tech alumnus Ibrahim Cissé delivered the commencement speech (embedded below; link to YouTube video).

Keep reading for some Durham Tech resources from the College to help you make your next moves and to support you if you’re still working towards your goals at Durham Tech!

As always, the Durham Tech Library has many books available for you. Stop in and see us or check out many of our ebook and audiobook resources through Dogwood Digital Library.

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It’s Summer Session and the Hours Are Changing

It may only be mid-May, but Durham Tech is getting ready to ramp up for Summer Session classes (starting May 23). The Library hours will be changing for the summer beginning Monday, May 16.

A sunny beach scene that has the words "Hello Summer Library Hours" with a laptop, open book, beach chair, and attentive seagull
Disclaimer: Please do not bring your library books or Chromebook on the beach. Sand. Water. Seagulls. Yuck.

Come see us at the Main Campus Library Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.

Come visit the Orange County Campus librarian Monday or Tuesday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM (the library space may be open additional hours in accordance with front desk staffing).

Request services at the Northern Durham Center through the library email address (library@durhamtech.edu).

Library services will be VIRTUAL on Fridays from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Computer and printing access are available in the Student Resource Center (Wynn 10-115) from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Need more time? All Durham Public Library locations are open until 6:00 PM on Fridays.


Need library instruction or to check out/return a laptop after posted hours? Reach out to us at library@durhamtech.edu and let’s chat.

Hours will change again in August when we return for the fall, but check College communications and the Library website for any unanticipated changes.

It’s Earth Day!

April 22, 2022 is Earth Day 2022. 

Earth Day 2022: Invest in our planet. Grow the Earth's canopy. End plastic pollution. Build a green economy. Support climate literacy. Restore our Earth. Switch to sustainable fashion.

This year’s theme is Invest in our Planet, which means

We need to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). It’s going to take all of us. All in. Businesses, governments, and citizens — everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet.

Durham Tech is incorporating green goals within its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan – Pathways to Institutional Excellence by prioritizing the creation of green and sustainable campuses, minimizing the College’s carbon footprint, and engaging in campus beautification efforts that culturally reflect Durham and Orange counties’ communities.

Keep reading to find out how you can learn more to do more to invest in our planet and our future.

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Food Facts for Library Fest!

Join us on Thursday, April 21 from 12:30-2:00 PM in the Wynn Building Multipurpose Room for Taste & See, where you will get to taste delicious food made by Durham Tech’s own Culinary Program, learn fun food history facts, and even check out a cookbook to take home from the Durham Tech Library’s cookbook collection!

Taste & See-- Library Fest: The Food Edition. Food tasting and food history program. April 21, 2022 from noon to 2pm in the Wynn Multipurpose Room (Building 10)

Food while supplies last. This event is a collaboration between Durham County Library’s Library Fest, Durham Tech’s Culinary Program, Durham Tech Library, and the Viva the Arts Committee.

We hope to see you there!


Durham County Public Library’s Library Fest has exciting events planned for adults, teens, and children the week of April 18, about food, agriculture, and culinary history of the South.

Registration is required, but free tickets are available for the keynote events with Vivian Howard, award-winning cookbook author, tv personality, chef and restaurateur, and Michael W. Twitty, culinary historian, and food writer.

Virtual and in-person events throughout the week include programs on local mushroom foraging, community gardens, history of Durham restaurants, science of coffee, soil health, backyard chickens, and much more!

Visit https://durhamcountylibrary.org/libraryfest/ for full schedule and ticket information.  


Check out our New Main Campus Books post from April 13 for info about our Culinary Arts program (including a link to our resource guide) and for some of our newest cookbooks!

Your Voice, Your Vote 2022: Have You Registered?

As you may have noticed if you listen to the radio or watch local news, election season is upon us once again.

While national elections make a lot of noise, local election outcomes have the ability to impact folks’ day-to-day lives, so if one of your 2022 goals is to be more civically engaged, participating in local elections can be a good place to start.

vote nc

This Friday, April 22 is the deadline to get or update your voter registration in order to participate in primary elections.

Wait! Does this mean that you won’t be able to vote in future elections if you don’t register now? Nope. You can register and vote in future election, but it’s always good to get in your paperwork early.


Curious about how to register to vote in North Carolina and information about voter’s rights, your ballot, and more?

Keep reading!

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Finishing Up National Library Week: Your Library Staff

So technically Tuesday was National Library Workers’ Day, but it was also a high pollen count day, so there’s been a bit of a delay in posting (apologies).

We may be biased (acknowledging bias is an important part of information literacy, you know), but we have a great group of library employees. Your Durham Tech Library staff participate in councils, committees, mentoring, programming, advising, campus planning, and many other parts of the Durham Tech community. We recognize that the way to best help Durham Tech is to be engaged beyond the Library walls, while still providing our necessary services and spaces for collaboration, studying, and research. We support students by collaborating with other departments to provide Chromebooks, Crafternoons, and even help host the annual Art Show (coming very soon!). We facilitate reading groups and challenges and help with tech literacy. We’re proud of our role at Durham Tech.

Oh, and your Library staff can also help you check off that final box of your Read Great Things Challenge every year— A book recommended by a Durham Tech Library staff member either in person or on the blog.

Without further ado, here’s your 2021-2022 Durham Tech Library staff with a furry or book friend.

2021-2022 Durham Tech Library staff. More details in caption, including book or animal component and professional title
Top to bottom, left to right: Courtney Bippley, Main Campus Reference Librarian, and photogenic Kira; Kyle Minton, Reference Librarian (Main Campus and Northern Durham Center) and fluffy gentleman Otto; Susan Baker, Main Campus Reference Librarian, and Dewey (the book and symbolic cat); Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian, and George, who does not like to be held except in certain very specific situations; Charles Farrow, Main Campus Library Technician and our rock, and Educated and Your Best Life Now; Lorell Butler, Main Campus Library Technician, sassy purple glasses, and Tune In; Stephen Brooks, Main Campus Reference Librarian, and Infinite Jest (an infinite book); Sasha Deyneka, all campuses Reference Librarian, the lovely Echo (the dog), and Uncle Tungsten (the book); and our kind and generous leader Julie Humphrey, Durham Tech Library Director, and her precious angel cat man Sumo.

Don’t hug a librarian without their permission, but a thanks is always appreciated if we’ve helped you.

It’s National Library Week!

April 3-9, 2022 is National Library Week, a time celebrate our nation’s libraries, library workers’ contributions and promote library use and support. This year’s theme is Connect with your Library.

Connect with your Library for National Library Week 2022-- Durham Tech and the American Library Association

How can you connect with your Durham Tech Library? Well, follow the blog (hi!) and you can definitely check out our social media (especially our much more active Instagram but also our less active Facebook). You can also attend some of our Crafternoons or other events, such as those in collaboration with Durham Public Library’s Library Fest (this year’s theme is FOOD). You can stop in and use our resources, such as our Tech Tools, Recording Room, or study areas. You can Book-a-Librarian for research assistance and instructors can schedule library instruction or refer their students to the library for assistance with research.

We’re here and ready to connect with you in person or virtually!

The American Library Association kicks of National Library Week by releasing the annual State of America’s Libraries report, which contains the most frequently challenged books from the previous calendar year.

Learn more about banned books in the Durham Tech Library Blog’s Banned Books Week post from September 2021.

Click through to see the most frequently challenged books from the past calendar year and the stats on who, why, and where these challenges take place.

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Sitting at Home Waiting for Snow? Check Out Our Virtual Library Services

Sumo Humphrey, a precious little gray cat, looks out the screen door at snow while wearing an adorable red, puffy cat jacket

Waiting for snow like sweet little Sumo Humphrey in his warm, ADORABLE winter jacket?

Just taking virtual classes this semester?

Good news is that you don’t have to be on campus to take advantage of lots of Durham Tech Library resources and services!

Keep reading for information about our virtual library services AND a bonus joyful dog video! (Click that Read more link!)

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Get Crafty with Us! Put Spring 2022 Crafternoons on your calendar!

New semester, new upcoming Crafternoons!

We’re reaching back to some old favorites from Crafternoons past for the Spring 2022 semester, so join us at either the Main Campus or Orange County Campus to create something awesome!

No prior experience or expertise necessary– all supplies and instructions will be provided at the event!

Click through to find out more info about our Spring 2022 Crafternoons in February, March, and April!

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