Category Archives: Resources

Do Your Own Research! (But how?)

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It’s officially fall. There’s a chill in the air and jackets are starting to be worn outside (and not just in overly air conditioned buildings). 

It’s also research assignment season. 

Research: Asking the right questions

Whether you’re working towards your last research assignment of the semester, starting your first big research paper, or somewhere in between, we can help! Keep reading for some tips and tricks from your Durham Tech Librarians about researching and keeping your sources organized (which will make writing your paper easier in the long run).

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Celebrating International Pronouns Day

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This year, Wednesday, Oct. 20 is International Pronouns Day. It seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace.

Blair Imani. Smarter in Seconds: Pronouns, What are pronouns? (30 sec.) 

The language we use to speak to and about others matters. Using gender-inclusive language and a person’s correct name and pronouns demonstrates kindness, respect, and inclusivity.  

People can make assumptions based on a person’s name or appearance. Relying on assumptions, using someone’s name and pronouns incorrectly, or ignoring someone’s identity can hurt others, particularly transgender and gender nonconforming people.  

MyPronouns.org includes great resources about using and sharing personal pronouns (including tips on what to do when you make a mistake).   

Click through to learn more about personal pronouns, why they matter, where you can get a pronoun button (spoiler: the Library!), how to add your pronouns to your Durham Tech account through Self-Service, and additional resources.  

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Centering Mental Health for World Mental Health Day

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The World Federation for Mental Health established October 10 as World Mental Health Day to raise awareness and support of mental health and reduce stigma. 

This year’s theme is “Mental Health in an Unequal World.”  

Mental health and well-being are central to the way we live, work, study, connect with others, and contribute to our communities. It’s especially important to address and uplift mental health during these unpredictable and overwhelming times that continually expose and enact the inequities in our society.  

Keep reading for information about Durham Tech resources, community resources, and Library resources addressing crisis assistance, self-care, and mental well-being. 

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Explore our Specialty Databases: ScienceDirect

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Researching scientific and medical topics can sometimes be daunting.

Sometimes you want to go to a big lots-of-topics-in-one database like ProQuest Central or search everything available in the Durham Tech digital and physical collection all at once using the Search Library option, but other times you want to go directly to a database that caters to the subject at hand.

Science Direct database logo

ScienceDirect is one of our specialty databases containing primarily ebooks and peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles about scientific and medical topics, including open-access resources.

You can access it directly by going to the Articles, Journals, and Databases box on the Library’s homepage and using the link provided. Off-campus users will then login using their Durham Tech username and password (the same as Sakai and Self-Service). 

Read on to learn how ScienceDirect and make your scientific and medical research easier! 

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Out Loud in the Library: The CAE with Del Williams

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The library podcast is back! 

Our first episode of season 2 is an interview with LaDelta Williams, Director of the Center for Academic Excellence. Listen to learn what the CAE is doing this semester and how they can help you. Also included in this episode are some library updates and, of course, book talk. 

Out Loud in the Library: Durham Tech Library Podcast

This season of Out Loud in the Library will have a couple of small changes. Episodes will drop every three weeks instead of every two weeks. And, Episodes will come out on Thursdays instead of Tuesdays. (This is to keep Tuesdays clear for a special event next semester, so stay tuned!)

Without further ado, listen to season 2, episode 1, here on the blog or wherever you get your podcasts!

ConGRADulations!

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Today marks Durham Tech’s in-person commencement for our 2020 and 2021 graduates. Every graduation represents a great achievement, and this group of graduates had a few more challenges in their path than your traditional graduates. (You know why. We won’t speak its name.)

The Main Campus Library display of resources for graduates and job seekers, including 101 Job Interview Questions You'll Never Fear Again by James Reed, Entering the Real World by David Kramer, The Skills: From First Job to Dream Job, What Every Woman Needs to Know by Mishal Husain, Amazing Resumes, The Career Playbook: Essential Advice for Today's Aspiring Young Professional by James M. Citrin, Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss, The Elements of Resume Style by Scott Bennett, Successful Interviews in a Week, Best Resumes for College Students and New Graduates, 50 Ways to Get a Job by Dev Aujila, I Got My Job and So Can You by Pete Leibman, I Just Graduated: Now What? by Katherine Schwarzenegger

Whether you’re going into the workforce, transferring to another school to complete an additional degree, staying at Durham Tech to take additional classes towards additional degrees or certifications, or one of the many other options in front of you, we want to 1) let you know that you should be proud of yourself and 2) transitions can be as hard as they are exciting.

Keep reading for some Durham Tech resources both from the College to help you make your next moves!

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New Spanish Language Collection available in the Durham Tech Libraries

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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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Meet AVON

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Alexander Street Academic Video Online (AVON)

Can’t get enough streaming video?

You’re in luck–the Durham Tech Library now has more online video content! 

AVON (Academic Video Online) is a new library database we’re excited to offer.  It features 70,000 searchable, citable, closed captioned titles spanning a wide range of subject areas (allied health, art, automotive technologies, business, counseling, communication studies, criminal justice, engineering, history, psychology, sociology) and even feature films and award winners. 

Want to see some of AVON’s options? Keep reading! 

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Open Educational Resources in North Carolina Higher Education

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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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