New Spanish Language Collection available in the Durham Tech Libraries

Thanks to grant funding from the Durham Tech Foundation, the Durham Tech Library now has a brand-new Spanish Language Collection!

Close up of some book spines with the new ESPAÑOL (Spanish) stickers on them

Containing nearly 300 titles in print (100 of them brand new!) at the Main Campus Library and over 300 new ebooks/audiobooks available via the Dogwood Digital Library, the Spanish Language Collection is now available to all Durham Tech students, staff, and faculty. 

This collection is a complement to our Spanish language courses (SPA) at Durham Tech and provides a variety of reading material by some of the Spanish-speaking world’s most celebrated authors and some books in translation, including collections of short stories, poetry, and children’s books. 

There’s something here for everyone! Keep reading for more information about our print titles, our digital titles, and our new and updated Library Resource Guides (LibGuides). 


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A Drawing! And Happy National Library Week!

Enter our National Library Week “Why I Love My Durham Tech Library” Drawing to win some sweet library prizes! Fill out our form by 5:00 on Wednesday, April 7 letting us know why you love your Durham Tech Library (or if you just like us– honestly, we know love is a strong feeling). 

white ceramic coffee mug with tan cork bottom and white plastic lid, navy blue face mask with black elastic ties, and a bookmark peeking out, all with Read Great Things logos on them

Four faculty/staff and four students each will be eligible to be entered in a drawing to win a cork-bottom coffee mug (complete with lid!) and a mask from our previous Read Great Things Challenge prizes. 

You’re also welcome to let us know how the library has helped you or why you love your Durham Tech Library without entering in the drawing.

Alumni and community friends are welcome to enter, too, but priority for prizes goes to our current students, faculty, and staff. Winners will be contacted on Monday, April 12. Everyone who fills out the form is eligible to get a bookmark. 


Out Loud in the Library: Durham Tech Library Podcast

In addition to National Library Week, it’s also Durham County Public Library’s Library Fest. Our library podcaster Courtney Bippley has interviews with several of their featured presenters, including one that dropped on Saturday with artist Volkan Alkanoglu.


April 4-10, 2021 is National Library Week– an opportunity to celebrate our nation’s libraries, library workers’ contributions and promote library use and support.

Welcome to your Library! National Library Week, April 4-10, 2021

National Library Week launches with a special report from the American Library Association (ALA): “The State of America’s Libraries Report: Special Edition”

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Open Educational Resources in North Carolina Higher Education

March 1-5, 2021 is Open Education Week! 

North Carolina, like many states, is moving towards making Open Educational Resources a valid alternative to traditional publisher-controlled teaching resources. 

Open Education Week 2021, showing an O with a graduation cap

Today’s blog post will acquaint you with some of the things NC has been doing with OER and hopefully get you thinking about how you might use them to customize your course content (and make life simpler for students!). 

Check it out! 

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Spring 2021 Library Services: Online, In-Person, & In-Between [Updated Mon., April 26]

Your Durham Tech librarians are here for you, virtually and in-person at the Main Campus and Orange County Campus Libraries.

A very important reminder: If you’re coming anywhere on any of the Durham Tech campuses, you need to wear an effective face covering over both your nose and mouth the entire time you’re on campus. Masks are available at the Library desk and other locations on campus for those who need them

Durham Tech Library Spring 2021 Schedule for April 26-30.  Virtual library services are available from 8:30-5:00 Monday through Friday, but if chat is offline, please contact the Library via phone or email. The Main Campus Library plans to be open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Orange County Campus Library plans to be open Monday from 12:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Virtual services are available on Friday from 8:30 to 5:00. Appointments are preferred for both campuses.  To make an appointment, email the general library email account (library@durhamtech.edu) or call 919-536-7211 extension 1631. Before coming to campus, everyone should complete the Durham Tech Daily Check-In form to get the current code word. Face coverings over the nose and mouth are required the entire time you are on campus. Expect to show a photo ID and have your temperature taken at the Library check in desk. Hours may change during the week as required for the College's COVID response plan. Please check the library homepage or call the library before coming to campus. Updates will be posted and sent out to the college community. Library chat (ChatStaff) is staffed by Durham Tech Librarians Monday through Friday during business hours. Library staff are available through email as well. Students, faculty, and staff may request appointments at the Northern Durham Center, Orange County Campus, and Main Campus at alternate times through the library email account (library@durhamtech.edu). We will try our best to work with you.

We want to encourage you to stay online if you are able. The Center for Academic Excellence has awesome tutoring available for technology help and you can always chat with or email your librarians. Need a computer, Chromebook, or internet at home? Check out the Computer and Internet Assistance page to get started requesting help. 

If you feel sick, have been tested for COVID and are waiting for the results, or have been exposed to COVID, please stay home. Give us a call (919-536-7211, extension 1631) or send us an email (library@durhamtech.edu) to see how we can help you remotely. 


Welcome to the Durham Tech Library.

If you do need to come to campus when we are open, you will be required to complete the Durham Tech Daily Check-In form to get the daily code word. When you arrive in the library, you will be required to check in at the library desk with a photo ID (student ID preferred) for contact tracing and you will give the daily code word and have your temperature checked. Quick trips are encouraged.

We are currently operating at a 25 person maximum capacity, and our downstairs areas are closed (study areas, downstairs computer lab, and book stacks). If the Library is at maximum capacity, you’ll be asked to wait outside until someone leaves. When health conditions improve, the maximum occupancy will increase. 


Well, what can you do and what can we help you with through virtual and in-person library services? 

Read more ABOUT LIBRARY SERVICES

Reading Great Things in 2021: New Year, New Categories

Need to fill out your 2020 challenge form? Here it is! If you’ve already filled it out, no need to do it a second time. We’ll be in touch shortly about prizes. They arrived while we were away for Winter Break. 


Durham Tech Library Read Great Things Challenge 2021

What is the Read Great Things Challenge?

The Read Great Things Challenge is a personal reading challenge sponsored by the Durham Tech Library that encourages folks to diversify and/or increase their reading goals by completing books throughout 2021 that fit into at least 10 of the following 12 categories:

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Your Vote, Your Voice: Early voting ends this week in NC

Your vote, your voice. Be heard. Vote by November 3.

Need some info on your ballot, your rights, and other information about voting early (by Sat., Oct. 31) or on Election Day (Tues., Nov. 3) in NC?

Check out our first Library podcast episode: Out Loud in the Library– Early Voting with Erin Riney with your host Courtney Bippley

You can also check out the Library blog’s Informed Voter Resources post


Various "We Voted" pictures from Library staff

Hey, Durham Tech faculty, staff, and students! Have you already voted? Send me (Meredith Lewis– lewisma @ durhamtech . edu) your voting selfie and we’ll post a Durham Tech group “picture” on Election Day!