Category Archives: Just for Fun

What We’re Watching: Born on the Fourth of July

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Title: Born on the Fourth of July

Directed by Oliver Stone

Genre: War, Biopic, Available via DVD at Durham Tech Library

This movie was reviewed by Kyle Minton, Reference Librarian.

Why did you choose to watch this film?

I watched this the day before the 4th of July, primarily because of the holiday and I had not seen it before. It is notable for being part of Oliver Stone’s trilogy regarding the Vietnam War, which includes Platoon (1986) and Heaven and Earth (1993). The movie won Stone (who served in Vietnam as an Infantryman) his second Academy Award for Best Director and is based on a memoir written by Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic, who is portrayed by Tom Cruise in the film. The film follows a dramatized depiction of Kovic’s journey through military recruitment, active deployment and the war injury that paralyzes him below his chest. The film’s climax follows Kovic’s depression regarding his injury and adjustment to civilian life as the war rages on, until Kovic finds new vigor in participating in anti-war demonstrations with other Vietnam War veterans.

In addition to the DVD, Durham Tech Library has an eBook of the memoir available for users.

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Get Your Hamilton Fix

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You say–

The price of a ticket to NYC is not a price that you’re willing to pay.

Good news!

The Library’s here to cure your post-Hamilton blues.

Don’t be sad;

Remember that books and streaming theater can be digitally had!

Now you’re glad!

Remember that even though it’s summer, we’re here for you.

Character of King George from the musical Hamilton doing a little shoulder shimmy

Da-da-da, dat-da, dat, da-da-da, da-ya-da

Da-da, dat, dat, da-ya-da

Da-da-da, dat-da, dat, da-da-da, da-ya-da

Da-da, dat, dat, da-ya*

With Hamilton‘s recent run at DPAC, if you scored tickets, you may be left wanting more.

While we don’t have access to the streaming musical itself (Disney+ has a monopoly on that), we do have some books and movies that you can immerse yourself in to keep the historical magic alive.

Keep reading!

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2022 Durham Tech Library Poetry Month Bookmarks!

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2-sided bookmarks with image on one side and poem on other side. Poems are "Characteristics of Life" by Camille T. Dungy, "Small Kindnesses" by Danusha Laméris, "Rain" by Raymond Carver, "for grandma" by NC Poet Laureate Jackie Shelton Green, and "I Pick Up My Footprints" by Vasyl Holoborodko, translated from Ukrainian by Svetlana Lavochkina, illustrated by our own Reference Librarian Sasha Deyneka, adapted from the works of Maria Prymachenko
Click on the image to go to the 2022 Durham Tech Library Poetry Bookmark pdf file.

This year’s poetry month bookmarks have “Characteristics of Life” by Camille T. Dungy, “Small Kindnesses” by Danusha Laméris, “Rain” by Raymond Carver, “for grandma” by NC Poet Laureate Jackie Shelton Green, and “I Pick Up My Footprints” by Vasyl Holoborodko, translated from Ukrainian by Svetlana Lavochkina, illustrated by our own Reference Librarian Sasha Deyneka, adapted from the works of Maria Prymachenko.

The file is a pdf, so you can print your own (and color them in, if that’s your thing). Print 2-sided, short edge. Cardstock is recommended.

Bookmarks and bookmark sheets will be available for pick up at the Main Campus Library by Thursday (we’re having some technical difficulties with the copier) and are currently available at the Orange County Campus Library.

Click through to download Durham Tech Library Poetry Month bookmarks from 2021, 2019, and 2017, which include poems from Amanda Gorman, Terrance Hayes, Mary Oliver, Kay Ryan, Danez Smith, Rita Dove, Ellen Bass, and many more!

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New Poetry for National Poetry Month, April 2022

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This poster was designed by eleventh grader Lara L. from Saunders Trades and Technical High School in Yonkers, New York, who was the winner of the 2022 National Poetry Month Poster Contest, and features a line by 2021 Presidential Inaugural Poet and 2017 National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman.

This poster was designed by eleventh grader Lara L. from Saunders Trades and Technical High School in Yonkers, New York, who was the winner of the 2022 National Poetry Month Poster Contest, and features a line by 2021 Presidential Inaugural Poet and 2017 National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman.

To celebrate Poetry Month, the Durham Tech Library and Student Engagement Departments are thrilled to announce the return of the Poetry Fox!

poetry fox at typewriter in main campus library

Join us Tuesday, April 26 from 11:30-1:30 p.m. outside of the Main Campus Library (ERC, Building 5) to get a custom poem written on the spot by The Poetry Fox! (If the weather gets weird, this event will move into the Main Campus Library in the downstairs collaborative study area.)

One word for a custom poem on his typewriter!

This event is for students, faculty, and staff.

Main Campus Library has many new poetry anthologies, poet biographies and memoirs, and books about poetry for you to enjoy. Keep reading for a selection of some of our new titles.

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Food Facts for Library Fest!

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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!

Yellow Books for the Annual Pollening

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It’s that time of year again. You know what I mean.

Since we can’t avoid it (unless we never leave the house) or control it, we may as well accept it and cope as best we can with itchy eyes, stuffy noses, and a dream of the few perfect days before the humidity settles in our bones.

Here are some blonde books to read outside (after taking your allergy meds) to soak up the spring weather with canary covers to hide the pollen.

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Finishing Up National Library Week: Your Library Staff

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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.

What We’re Reading: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

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the storied life of a.j. fikry by gabrielle zevin
Available at the Main Campus
(PS 3626 .E95 S86 2014)

A.J. Fikry owns a bookstore, which he and his late wife Nic started on a vacationers’ island in New England. The story begins with A.J. the widower wallowing in his grief each night with frozen dinners and red wine. As he works through his grief and begins to let people into his life, he finds meaning.

Title: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Genre: contemporary fiction

Read Great Things 2022 Categories: A happy or hopeful book; A book about community; Blast from the past: A book about family (2021), An epistolary book or a book that contains epistolary parts (2019), A book being made into a movie this year (2018)

Why did you choose to read this book?

My book club chose this as an upbeat book. We had been reading a lot of difficult or serious books–which I haven’t finished or quit reading–so this was a welcome change. This one was very light and breezy, without being simplistic.
It covers a lot of ground: love, loss and infidelity; books and reading; comedy, tragedy and hope.

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What We’re Listening To: Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

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atlas of the heart: mapping meaningful connection and the language of human experience by brené brown, read by the author
Available as an audiobook through Dogwood Digital Library

Emotional intelligence is HARD, but being able to identify where your emotions are coming from and actually having the language to identify those emotions (and the differences between them) can help.

This book was read via audiobook by Meredith Lewis, the (mostly) Orange County Campus Librarian.

Title: Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience

Author and Narrator: Brené Brown

Genre: Psychology, Social Science, Self-Help/Awareness/Mindfulness

Read Great Things 2022 Categories: A happy or hopeful book; Blast from the past: A book that will help you with your self-care (2021), A social science book (2019)

Why did you choose to read this book?

Quite simply, I needed an audiobook to listen to while I was doing some work with my hands.

I’m not always great with audiobooks; I get confused listening to high fantasy without being able to see some of the words, and with other genres, I tend to just zone out depending on the narrator. I’ve used familiar audiobooks to fall asleep so often that sometimes they just make me sleepy.

I picked this book up (digitally) because I know a lot about Brené Brown but hadn’t actually read anything by her before. I only read about one self-help-y book a year (strangely, around this same time each year– last time it was Wintering by Katherine May, also partially by audiobook). I’ll be honest: I didn’t expect to listen to more than an hour or so–it was just meant to be noise company–but Brown’s engaging narration style (it’s like a very long podcast) and the actual content of the book kept me interested. I’m very interested in emotion science and emotional intelligence since it has so much to do with how we navigate the world and how we react to conflicts or stress.

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