Library celebrates their first Read Great Things Challenge

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Julie Humphrey

Durham Tech Library celebrated the Read Great Things Challenge 2018 with tea and cookies on Wed. Dec. 12 from 11:00-1:00. Participants talked about books they read this year, swapped books, and learned about the categories for next year’s Read Great Things Challenge 2019. Participants also picked up their fun tote bags and reading mascot pins. It’s not too late to pick up your prize if you completed the challenge! Simply stop by the library or complete your form online.

Tote bag designed by Meredith Lewis

Reading mascot pins designed by Meredith Lewis

Downstairs in the library we are featuring a display of books that Library Staff read and enjoyed for this year’s challenge.

Stay tuned for details about the 2019 Read Great Things Challenge.

Happy reading over winter break!

Celebrate reading all the great things in 2018!

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

Need some more details? Here you go!

Looking for the completion form so you can get yourself a tote bag? Here’s where you can find the Read Great Things 2018 Challenge Completion form.
Need more information about the Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Here’s where you can find the Durham Tech Library blog post about the Read Great Things 2018 Challenge.
Looking for information about the Read Great Things 2019 Challenge? You can find out more at the celebration or posted on this blog in January. Subscribe to this blog to keep up-to-date.
What’s this about a book swap? In order to participate in the book swap, you should bring at least one used book that you no longer want and will trade it for a book someone else is ready to rehome. Feel free to drop off book swap books–in good used condition without significant stains, smells, or damage–before the event at either the Main Campus or Orange County Campus Library. Any books that are not swapped will be donated to the Durham Tech Little Free Libraries.

Contact Meredith Lewis (lewisma @ durhamtech . edu) if you have questions.

Read Great Things Challenge 2018 — Check-in & Celebration Information

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

We’re 11.5/12ths of the way through 2018, and the end of the year and the end of the Durham Tech Library’s Read Great Things Challenge 2018 is coming up fast.

To give us an idea of how many prizes (!!!) and participation items we need, if you’re participating or have been trying to participate, please fill out our survey if you haven’t already: Read Great Things Challenge 2018 Check-In Survey

All participants (whether you finish or not) are welcome to stop by the Main Campus Library on Wednesday, Dec. 12 from 11:00 to 1:00 to have some cookies and tea, pick up a tote bag (priority goes to current faculty, staff, and students who submit their challenge completion form) and other swag (any participants are eligible), and participate in a used book swap (bring one, trade for another one). Anyone wanting to donate a book for the book swap ahead of time, drop it by any Durham Tech library location– those not claimed in the swap will be put in one of our Little Free Libraries.

If you want more information about the Read Great Things Challenge, check out our library blog entry about it: Read Great Things Challenge 2018 Information

We’ll be doing this again in 2019, so hold onto your reading glasses and prep your TBR piles! Look out for upcoming TLC events and check-ins throughout the year.

Happy reading! Direct any questions to Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian (lewisma @ durham tech . edu)

What We’re Reading: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

The rise and fall of the dinosaurs: A new history of a lost world by steve brusatte

This book was read by Meredith Lewis, the [mostly] Orange County Campus Librarian, and is available for checkout at the Orange County Campus Library.

Title: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World
Author: Steve Brusatte

Genre: Popular Science, General Dinosaur Awesomeness

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A popular science book; A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past [this historical event took place a few million years ago]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Because dinosaurs are awesome?

Seriously though, I have a four-year-old friend who was telling me about all these dinosaurs that I never heard of. When I saw this book was coming out, I thought, “Self, if this isn’t a dragging and dull science-y book, you should pick that up because you’re not interested in watching Dinosaur Train (the PBS Kids TV show), but you do want to learn more about dinosaurs.” It was AWESOME, although I listened to the audiobook, so I missed out on the pictures. [The OCC copy is in print and full of pictures. I’d recommend this format over the audiobook for even more enjoyment.]

What did you like about it?

I’m going to make a list here:

It’s an engaging history book–in this case, the history of the Earth through its prehistoric times and then after the extinction of the dinosaurs, which I knew very little about.
It goes into all the newer discoveries about dinosaurs that additional fossils have brought to light, especially regarding how dinosaurs differently evolved after the splitting apart of Pangaea. There are even vignettes where the author goes into, based on fossil evidence, that show how the dinosaurs likely interacted with each other.
It has stuff about the fossil record and how paleontologists use it to draw conclusions and also how fossils are/were discovered and used.
It has an international perspective of dinosaurs, which is cool because while T-Rex’s arms actually were used for something (though, yes, very short), a Brazilian big guy actually did have pretty much non-functional arms. Evolution is fascinating!
It highlights a field in science I wasn’t that familiar with and name drops all these cool paleontologists that I’d never heard of before, but I’m super glad I know of them now.

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

Am I allowed to say Jurassic Park here? Because of course. [Yes, I am allowed to say Jurassic Park.]

What feeling did the book leave you with?

Well, I’m really excited about dinosaurs.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Anyone who likes science or scientists and delving deeper into what people who “do” science actually do to gather their research. Anyone looking for a grown-up book about dinosaurs. Seriously. It was great. I’m going to buy it for several people for the holidays (and upcoming birthdays… and all occasions I can think of).

What would you pair this book with?

A continued appreciation of those awesome inflatable T-Rex costumes and how so many layers of knowledge and expertise go into scientific discovery. In honor of the East Coast (not us) getting some of our first snow, I’d like to share the following awesome video of an inflatable T-Rex ice skating in case you haven’t seen it.

[No transcript available, but to summarize: A person in an inflatable t-rex costume and white ice skates performs surprisingly well on an ice rink. Occasionally, the t-rex trips on its own tail. Hilarity insues.]

What We’re Reading: Leaving the Sea: Stories

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

Title: Leaving the Sea: Stories

Author: Ben Marcus

Genre: short stories / experimental fiction

Read Great Things Challenge 2018 category: a book you chose for the cover; a book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event (maybe)

Why did you choose to read this book?

I was drawn in by the cover art at first. The reviews on the back of the dust jacket also made the stories sound interesting to me. One of my favorite authors, Michael Chabon, has a blurb on the back of the book praising Marcus’s The Flame Alphabet (which I haven’t read).

This “themed” collection is of short stories that feature young-to-middle-aged men in crisis. Otherwise, the stories are not related. A divorcé struggles to keep his job and resolve joint custody issues with his ex-wife; a struggling professor teaches a creative writing class aboard a cruise ship; a young man with a mysterious illness seeks treatment in Germany and examines his relationships with his girlfriend, father and a stranger he meets in a hostel; a man worries about his family during a routine evacuation drill in his community; et cetera.

Many of the stories take place in alternate realities: a world in which one can choose to be a baby for one’s whole life, for example.

What did you like about it?

I did not like reading this book. I was motivated to finish it solely to write a thoughtful review.

I found a lot of the book to be interesting, but in many of the stories I felt like Marcus was playing with language for the sole purpose of doing so. Ranging into pure experimental fiction, this book was often either beyond my understanding or it felt like I was being manipulated into feeling stupid for not understanding what is going on, only because the author omitted details I felt would have improved my access to the book.

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

Another collection of experimental fiction is David Foster Wallace’s Oblivion. The freedom with which Marcus uses language and imagery reminds me a little bit of e.e. cummings’s poetry as well.

What feeling did the book leave you with?

In spite of my frustrations with the most experimental stories, this book is memorable and left me wishing I could write fiction with such imagination and confidence in bending language to my will.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Fans and writers of experimental fiction will appreciate this book. Someone who needs a creative spark and doesn’t mind reading some dystopian fiction might find use in this book.

What would you pair this book with?

Even though I don’t keep one myself, a reading or writing journal would be a valuable companion.

What We’re Reading: Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

open mic night at westminster cemetary by mary amato book cover

This book was read by Meredith Lewis, the [mostly] Orange County Campus Librarian, and is available for checkout at the Orange County Campus Library.

Title: Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery: A Novel in Two Acts
Author: Mary Amato

Genre: Fantasy [because ghosts talking and stuff]. Is there a “imagined conversations between ghosts in graveyards” fiction genre? Because this fits that one, too.

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book that contains a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

The summary alone did it for me: A teenager wakes up in a graveyard, but instead of the numerous other ways that story could go, she discovers she’s dead… and already in trouble with the appointed rule-keeper of the cemetery due to language (strike 1) and emotional outbursts (strike 2). Lacy is charming and trying to be as self-aware as a new ghost can be while the other inhabitants of the graveyard both rely on their routine and want something more. Oh, and dead Edgar Allan Poe is there. Need I say more?

What did you like about it?

It was just overall very charming. I also really like books where historical figures show up in some way. Oh, and there’s the whole graveyard fiction thing, which I also like (apparently). But seriously, the characters were engaging and it wasn’t too heavy– sometimes you just need a light read.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Anyone who needs a light read this time of year. Anyone who needs a little whimsy with their spirit of Edgar Allan Poe. Fans of open mic nights.

What would you pair this book with?

A little bit of bravery to stand up to “how things have always been done”… and some cinnamon crumb cake.

How about some book friends (a.k.a. related reading recommendations)?

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Need help finding a book in-library or requesting a book through ILL? You can look it up in our catalog or ask a librarian. Don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library and be sure to bring your Durham Tech ID.

What We’re Recommending: The #ReadGreatThings2018 Edition

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here are some of Durham Tech’s great faculty and staff’s recommendations to help you complete your Read Great Things Challenge:

children of blood and bone by tomi adeyemi book cover

A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Shawna Daniels-Ash, Early Childhood Education Instructor. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries

Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry by Marcus Thompson book cover

A book about or that features sports and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Mary Kennery, Library Technician. Available at the Main Campus Library

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

Available at the Main Campus Library

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande book cover

A popular science book. Recommended by Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian. Available at the Main Campus Library

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle book cover

A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Karin Abell, English as a Second Language Director. Available at the Main Campus Library

What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism by Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner book cover

A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Gina Perryman, International Student Services and Study Abroad Advisor. Available at the Main Campus Library.

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya book cover

A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Sara Juarez, Director of Interpretation / Translation Programs. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries

A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life [and A book you chose for the cover]. Recommended by Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes and Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers. Available at the Main Campus Library.

the fact of a body by: A Murder and a Memoir by alexandria marzano-lesnevich book cover

A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Dorothy Wood, Biology Instructor

A book that takes place in a country or place you’d like to visit [Svalbard, Norway]. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor.

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler book cover

A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Stephanie Turner, Coordinator, Marketing and Media Relations

A book about or that features sports. Recommended by Karin Abell, English as a Second Language Director

I'll Take You There Mavis Staples, the Staples Singers, and the Music that Shaped the Civil Rights Era by Greg Kot book cover

Available at the Main Campus (ML 400 .K873 2014)

I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott

A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past [1968 or before] and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Shana Curl, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor

Book of Deacon by Joseph Lallo book cover

A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Lori Heiger, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor.

Willa Friday Culinary Cozy Mystery Series by Jamie Lee Scott box set image including Pasta, Pinot and Murder; Sushi, Sauvignon and Murder; Mousse, Moscato and Murder

A book about cooking or food. Recommended by Lori Heiger, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor.

A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor. Available at the Main Campus Library

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson book cover

A popular science book. Recommended by Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes and Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers. Available at the Main Campus Library.

A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the OCC Library

The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge book cover

A book about cooking or food. Recommended by Lea Bingham, English Instructor and ASUT Associate Dean. Available at the Main Campus Library

In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences by Truman Capote book cover

A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past. Recommended by Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian. Available at the Main Campus and Northern Durham Center Libraries

A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Courtney Bippley, Reference Librarian. Available at the Main Campus Library

A popular science book. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen book cover

A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Stephanie Turner, Coordinator, Marketing and Media Relations. Available at the Main Campus Library

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell book cover

A popular science book. Recommended by Shana Curl, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries

Rhymes of the Times: Black Nursery Rhymes by Audrey Muhammad book cover

A book of poetry or a book written in verse and, not a category BUT, written by a Durham Tech advisor and instructor. Available at the Main Campus Library.

A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Mary Kennery, Library Technician. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries

Need more information about how to participate in (and “win”) the Durham Tech Library’s Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Click the following link for more information: #ReadGreatThings2018 Information

What We’re Reading: Dread Nation

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

dread nation by justina ireland book cover

Available at the OCC Library on the New Book shelf

This book was enthusiastically read by Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Revisionist Zombie Historical Fiction, Supernatural fiction [not sure if it’s fantasy or science-fiction– I’m waiting for the next books in the series to figure out how those zombies became zombies!]

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book with a supernatural creature [yup], A book that takes place during a historical event 50 years or more in the past [Reconstruction-era America… but with zombies]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Honestly, it was one of several this year that I read about, had a great premise, and also got really good reviews. I often wonder if books are as good as everyone says they are and this is one of several I’ve read lately that have lived up to their hype –see: Children of Blood and Bone (reviewed on the blog here, The Hate U Give, and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

Despite the great reviews, I was a little torn because I actually hate zombies. A lot. If a zombie apocalypse actually ever occurs, I’ll have a hard time not just giving up because it’s too bleak. I don’t want dead people-like things eating my face.

What did you like about it?

This is going to sound strange, but it was a really sassy and hopeful book. So it takes place during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, except the war was finished because zombies started rising from the battlefield. Afterwards, newly freed slaves (and Native peoples, another interesting aspect to the book) are sent to combat schools to learn to kill the undead. Our intrepid heroine Jane is ready to graduate from Miss Preston’s School of Combat when… well, things go crazy and I don’t want to spoil the wonderful plot twists for you. Despite all the undead, Jane is always plotting on how to make her world better and how to get back to her family. In addition to the zombies, it casts a nicely critical eye on race relations and problems when marginalized people are put in opposition to each other. [Can you tell I was an English major? Look at that last sentence.]

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

The deep-seated evilness of several of the characters reminded me of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Who would you recommend the book to?

I’d recommend this to both people who do like zombies and people who don’t like zombies, and any people who like super engaging stories, awesome strong female characters, and are okay waiting for the next book in the series [2019 on Goodreads!].

What would you pair this book with?

Some very sharp sickles. You know, for the zombie slaying.

What We’re Reading: Where the Wild Coffee Grows

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Courtney Bippley

Title: Where the Wild Coffee Grows: The Untold Story of Coffee from the Cloud Forests of Ethiopia to Your Cup

Author: Jeff Koehler

Genre: Nonfiction

A coffee cup image on a burlap bag texture.

Where the Wild Coffee Grows: The Untold Story of Coffee from the Cloud Forests of Ethiopia to Your Cup by Jeff Koehler

This book was read by Courtney Bippley – a Reference Librarian at the Main Campus Library.

Continue Reading →

What We’re Currently Reading: Summer Reads Edition!

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Meredith Lewis

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s Durham Tech’s awesome faculty and staff’s current or recently finished summer reads:

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly book cover

Kerry Cantwell, First-Year Experience Chair & ACA Instructor

Available at the Main, Northern Durham, and Orange County Campus (PS 3558 .E63 D8)

Swamplandia! By Karen Russell book cover

Eliza Murphy, ACA Instructor and Advisor

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende book cover

Rachel Lithman, English as a Foreign Language Instructor and Advisor

The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther by Jeffrey Haas book cover

Darius Whitney, Southern School of Energy & Sustainability College Liaison

the kitchen house by kathleen grissom book cover

Dorothy Wood, Biology Instructor

american war by omar el akkad book cover

Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay book cover

Marina DelVecchio, English & Humanities Instructor

Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves by James Nestor book cover

Courtney Bippley, Main Campus Reference Librarian

21: The Story of Roberto Clemente by Wilfred Santiago book cover

Erin Riney, Director of Center for College and Community Service, Service Learning Coordinator, & ACA Instructor

Suzi Jaikaran, Human Resources Coordinator

Gaddy's Song (Pettigrew Farm Series, Book 3) by Kathryn Ewers Bundy book cover

Lisa M. Blair, French & Spanish Instructor

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb book cover

Stephen Brooks, Main Campus Reference Librarian

Unresolved issues by Wanda B. Campbell book cover

Johnnie Bratton, Program Director of Associate Degree Nursing & Coordinator of Therapeutic and Diagnostic NA Diploma Program

My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie book cover

Stephanie Turner, Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator

1633 by David Weber & Eric Flint book cover

Bill Stuart, Science Lab Manager

Stesha Little, Gateway to College Resource Specialist

Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes & Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers

DM Stearns, Criminal Justice Instructor

Susane Boukamel, CAE Academic Alert Tutor for Reading and English

Judy Graham, EMS Program Specialist

The Completionist by Siobhan Adcock book cover

Karin Abell, Director of English as a Second Language

The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton book cover

Mary Kennery, Library Technician

Julie Humphrey, Library Director

ready player one by ernest cline book cover

Jessica Orio, Center for the Global Learner Program Specialist

The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard book cover

Lea Bingham, Assistant Dean of University Transfer & English Instructor

Cathy Collie-Robinson, Director and Instructor of Early Childhood Education

Patrick Coin, Assistant Dean of Applied Technologies Programs & Director and Instructor of Environment, Health, and Safety Technology

Betrayed: A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel by Lisa Scottoline book cover

Christine Gunnigle, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Clinical Coordinator & Instructor

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan book cover

Bill Ingram, President

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty book cover

Lynn Unsworth, Leadership and Interpersonal Skills Development Regional Trainer

Janice Stuart, Gateway to College English Instructor

A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World by Andrew Kiste book cover

Gilbert R. Umberger, Student Activities Coordinator

Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: American Life in Columns by Michael A. Smerconish book cover

Wayne Durkee, Criminal Justice Instructor

The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas by E.R. Bills book cover

Carl Rupert, Math Instructor

A Dreamer’s Tales: Annotated Edition by Lord Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett Dunsany book cover

Peter Wooldridge, Vice President of Corporate, Continuing, and Public Services Education & ancestor of the author

Suzannah Price, English Instructor

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones book cover

Available at the Main Campus (PS 3610 .O63 A84 2018) and as an ebook through Dogwood Digital Library

The Brothers K by David James Duncan book cover

Pat Morris, Director of CAE

The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore book cover

Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor

Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans book cover

Patricia Neems, English as a Second Language Instructor

Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4) by Kevin Hearne

Walter Bartlett, Advanced Manufacturing Coordinator

Are you already reading for the Durham Tech Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Durham Tech Library Blog

Updates and Info from the Durham Tech Library

Category Archives: Read Great Things Challenge 2018

Library celebrates their first Read Great Things Challenge

Celebrate reading all the great things in 2018!

Read Great Things Challenge 2018 — Check-in & Celebration Information

What We’re Reading: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

What We’re Reading: Leaving the Sea: Stories

What We’re Reading: Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery

What We’re Recommending: The #ReadGreatThings2018 Edition

What We’re Reading: Dread Nation

What We’re Reading: Where the Wild Coffee Grows

What We’re Currently Reading: Summer Reads Edition!