Website of the Week

Khan Academy

http://www.khanacademy.org 

 Khan Academy is a non-profit website that was created by Salman Khan, an educator and graduate of MIT and Harvard Business School. The mission is to provide free education to anyone, anywhere.

The site contains a library of over 3000 videos that include tutorials in math as well as physics, finance, and history. Once you've selected the subject and content you'd like to learn more about, the site offers well presented, step-by-step video tutorials within the chosen topics.

You may choose to create an account which enables you to chart your achievements and monitor your skills progress.

As an additional resource specifically for math students, the topics include:
Arthmetic and pre-algebra
Algebra
Geometry
Trigonometry and precalculus
Calculus
Probability and statistics
Differential equations
Linear algebra
Applied math
Recreational math
Test prep
Math contests

Review by Tanya Carr, SWC Librarian

Check It Out

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month!

Did you know in the New Books collection there's a great title honoring this theme to check out?

 It's called, Cuentos folkloricos latinoamericanos : fábulas de las tradiciones hispanas e indígenas. It's compiled by John Bierhorst and published in 2003. It is located on the library’s New Books collection shelves and its call number is GR111.H57 L3718 2003.

 This book is a neat resource for students to read folktales contributed by various Hispanic and indigenous peoples of North, South, and Central America. These tales involve stories of tricksters, witches, angels, aristocrats, peasants, and heroes and heroines.

Cheers!

Review by Arnold Josafat, SWC Librarian

Saturday? The Library is open!

The Main Campus Library is open 10 AM - 2 PM on Saturdays. Stop by to get a jump on your studying, to get help with your research, or to start writing your assignment.

Remember, the Online Library is always open! Resources and reference assistance are available 24/7, even when the library is closed.

CQ Researcher - Report on Alternative Medicine

Are “unconventional” therapies becoming accepted? 
By Beth Baker

"Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), ranging from herbal products to chiropractic and acupuncture, continues to grow in popularity. Nearly 40 percent of American adults use alternative therapies, spending some $34 billion annually. Nevertheless, critics cite thousands of studies that question the effectiveness of many of these treatments. In addition, they argue that the safety and quality of herbal products and other supplements can be ensured only if they are subjected to the same rigorous regulation as prescription drugs. But proponents counter that many studies have shown promising practices, especially meditation and other mind-body interventions that reduce stress. Integrating such approaches into conventional medicine, they say, is the best way to provide patient-centered care. Proponents also say the rise of alternative medicine in medical school curricula, hospitals and health care systems suggests that what was once called “unconventional” is here to stay."

Read the full report in the CQ Researcher database.
Access from off campus is available for free to all SWC students and staff.

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Websites of the Week

Campsite Photo Websites

Photo courtesy CampsitePhotos.com

http://www.parkcampsites.com/ 

http://www.campsitephotos.com/ 

A couple years ago, my friends and I traveled to Rocky National Mountain Park and camped in the Moraine Campground. We were on the top of a hill, overlooking a large river valley filled with elk, with snow-topped Long’s Peak in the distance. Sometimes deer would come within a few feet of our trailers and graze. Other campers stopped by and invariably asked us, ‘how did you get those magnificent campsites?’

Just before the trip, I discovered there are websites which show you a photo of every campsite in a particular campground. Using these campsite photo sites, along with other resources such as Google Earth, I am often able to select the best places to camp in a particular campground.

Of course, no one website lists all the campgrounds everywhere, but the following two websites have quite a few of them.

• http://www.parkcampsites.com/  This website leads you to campsite photos on Google’s Picasaweb.com. Although only a few parks are listed, it is where I found Rocky Mountain National Park, and it does fill in some of the gaps left by the more robust website I found below. 

• http://www.campsitephotos.com/ This website is more comprehensive, including both private and public parks, as well as those campgrounds on BLM land and in the National Forest. Although it has parks listed at the bottom of its homepage, the campground directory on the photo page is searchable by state, region, or by park name. This website also has campground reviews, a park ranger blog, and a page listing campground resources, which includes both articles (‘How to plan for a camping trip’) and links (live webcams in parks, camping clubs, etc.) One caution, this site is sponsored by CMJ Media LLC and does have a lot of ads.

Review by Ann Willard, SWC Librarian

Register to Vote -- Today on Campus!

Today is National Voter Registration Day

In conjunction with the Mayoral Forum today, a Voter Registration Drive is being held on campus. Visit the front of the Admissions building or the front of the Library from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

San Diego residents who want to participate in the Mayor’s election must register 15 days prior to the election. To register on-line, please visit the following website: https://rtv.sos.ca.gov/elections/register-to-vote/

Mayoral Forum on Tuesday

You are cordially invited to attend a San Diego Mayoral Forum

When: Tuesday, September 24th, 11:00 AM -Noon
Where: Student Union East at SWC

A special election is being held to replace former Mayor Bob Filner and will take place on Tuesday, November 19th. If no candidate wins a majority vote, a run-off election will take place within 49 days. To date, candidates Mike Aguirre and David Alvarez have confirmed as participants. Nathan Fletcher is still considering and Kevin Faulkner has declined.

Library Databases - What are they?

Many library databases contain the full text of articles from periodicals (journals, magazines, and newspapers). The majority of these articles are not available for free on the Internet. But they're available online and for free to all SWC students and staff.

A wealth of information is at your fingertips! Read about a current or historic topic from a dependable source. Research a medical condition or a business. Find out what topics are of concern to other countries -- what are their newspapers writing about?

There are other types of resources in library databases too -- images, videos, statistics, speeches, and more! Ready to explore?

Go to the library’s databases webpage, select a database, and input your username and password. 

Student Username: WebAdvisor login (example: js0123455) 
Student Password: Birthdate (MMDDYY)

Staff/Faculty Username: WebAdvisor login (example: jsmith) 
Staff/Faculty Password: Birthdate (MMDDYY) 

Need help?

We are here 24/7, even when the library is closed!

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Reference Chat Service

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Check It Out

The Long Walk to Freedom: Runaway Slave Narratives, edited with introductions by Devon W. Carbado and Donald Weise. Beacon Press, 2012

Call no. New Books E 450 L83 2012

What interested me about this book is it's approach. Although we have other books in the collection providing information about the history of slavery in the United States, this book delves into the subject from a different angle. It not only provides excerpts from the narratives of well-known runaway slaves, but also lesser-known people.

Through these narratives the reader gets a more realistic understanding of the slave experience. The accounts reveal that some of our presumptions aren't true; the slaves are speaking directly for themselves without editing and interpretations, which allows the reader to be enlightened about a familiar subject in a new way.

This book is available for four-week check out with your SWC photo ID card.

Book review by Tanya Carr, SWC Librarian

Website of the Week

Internet Archive, Moving Image Archive 

The Archive's Moving Images library contains free movies, films, and videos. There are over a million digital movies uploaded by Archive users which range from classic full-length films, to daily alternative news broadcasts, to cartoons and concerts. Many of these videos are available for free download.

I like that one can search sub-categories. For example, Television… I especially enjoyed browsing through old commercials.

Review by Patty Torres, SWC Librarian

Hispanic Heritage Month - Notable Hispanic Writers

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15, 2013 - October 15, 2013

Visit the 3rd floor to view a display of books by notable Hispanic writers, including:

Ruben Dario
Isabel Allende
Sandra Cisneros
Miguel Cervantes
Manuel Puig
Julia Alvarez
Jorge Borges
Octavio Paz
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Jose Marti
Guillermo Cabrera Infante
Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Oscar Hijuelos
Juan Rulfo
Alejo Carpentier
Reinaldo Arenas
Juan Carlos Onetti

Any of the books may be checked out for four weeks with your SWC photo ID card.

Check It Out

Hi current and future entrepreneurs!

Did you know in the New Books collection there's a great inspirational title to check out?

It's called, Spark and Hustle : Launch and Grow Your Small Business Now. It's written by Tory Johnson and published in 2012.

This book is located on the library's second floor in the New Books shelves and its call number is HD62.5 .J646 2012. You can check it out for four weeks with your SWC ID card.

Spark and Hustle is a great introductory resource for students to learn about business, especially as it relates to what it takes to start one, manage it, and find success. It is also an appropriate resource to support the schools of Business and Personal Development and the Small Business Development Center with their instruction.

Review by Arnold Josafat, SWC Librarian

In Memory of September 11, 2001

Books, e-books, and videos about the September 11 attacks
Southwestern College Library

September 11, 2001 Documentary Project
Library of Congress: American Memory 
"The September 11, 2001, Documentary Project captures the heartfelt reactions, eyewitness accounts, and diverse opinions of Americans and others in the months that followed the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93. Patriotism and unity mixed with sadness, anger, and insecurity are common themes expressed in this online presentation of almost 200 audio and video interviews, 45 graphic items, and 21 written narratives."

September 11 Digital Archive
American Social History Project, Center for History and New Media, and the Library of Congress.
Collects and archives "first-hand accounts, emails and other electronic communications, digital photographs and artworks, and a range of other digital materials related to the attacks."

The National September 11 Memorial Museum
"The National September 11 Memorial Museum will open as the country's principal institution concerned with exploring the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting the impact of those events and exploring 9/11's continuing significance."

Website of the Week

PubMed Health

PubMed Health is a project of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the world's largest medical library. 

What is unique about PubMed Health is that it specializes in reviews of clinical effectiveness research, the type of research which finds answers to the question "What works?" in medical and health care. These clinical effectiveness reviews can show what treatments and prevention methods have been proven to be effective and what remains unknown.

PubMed Health provides summaries and full texts of selected systematic reviews, generally published or updated from 2003, in one place. In the "Diseases and Conditions A-Z" section of the database, there is a wealth of well-organized information for consumers and clinicians based on these reviews; causes, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, prognosis, complications, etc.

PubMed Health: www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pubmedhealth

Review by John Tibbals, SWC Librarian

Check It Out

Airbrushed nation : the lure and loathing of women's magazines

by Jennifer Nelson

Seal Press, 2012.

New Books: PN4879 .N47 2012

"Glamour. Cosmo. SELF. Ladies’ Home Journal. Vogue. In an industry that has been in a downward spiral for years, these magazines—and other women-focused magazines like them—have not only retained their readership, they’ve increased it. Every month, five million-plus women peel back the slick cover of their favorite magazine to thumb through pages filled with tidings and advice about fashion, beauty, sex, relationships, dieting, health, and lifestyle. But do women’s magazines offer valuable information, or do they merely peddle fluff and fantasy—and in either case, do women take their messages to heart?

 In Airbrushed Nation, Jennifer Nelson—a longtime industry insider—exposes the naked truth behind the glossy pages of women’s magazines, both good and bad. Nelson delves deep into the world of glossies, explaining the ways in which these magazines have been positive for women, highlighting the ways in which their agendas have been misguided, and asking the questions that have long gone unasked: What do women think and believe about the retouched photos, the ubiquitous sex advice, the constant offensive on aging, and the fantasy fashion spreads featuring unaffordable clothing and accessories? Do the unrealistic ads, images, and ideals that permeate glossies damage women’s self-esteem—and is it intentional? Critical, clever, and full of tantalizing insider information, Airbrushed Nation is a book for every woman who reads these magazines—those who hate them, those who love them, and those who live by them." review from publisher

This book is available for four-week check out with your SWC photo ID card.

Have a question?

We can help! 24/7 chat reference service is available to all SWC students.

Database of the Month

Consumer Health Complete

Library databases are accessible from off campus

Consumer Health Complete is a comprehensive resource for consumer-oriented health content. It includes full-text health reference books, evidence-based medicine, health reports, medical images, videos, consumer health pamphlets, and animations with audio narration.

Have a question? Ask a librarian!

We are open Saturdays!

The SWC Library at the Chula Vista campus is open 10 am - 2 pm on Saturdays. Stop by and get your work done so you can enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Need help when we're closed? Ask a Librarian - 24/7 chat.

Today is Eat an Extra Dessert Day

September 4 is Eat an Extra Dessert Day. Why not stop by the library -- you can pick up a book or two about baking and desserts.

Or, read about your favorite chefs in Biography Resource Center. This library database is available from off campus.

For more ideas, stop by the Internet Public Library for some great websites about desserts. Enjoy!

Website of the Week

The Economist - Topics Index 

http://www.economist.com/topics 

The Topics Index of The Economist magazine provides links to selected current and past full-text articles, as well as analysis and commentary on an array of subjects.

Registration (free) is required and provides access to up to six articles each week. Great for students doing research on any subject, and interesting for anyone looking for feature stories/analysis/commentary that don't make the daily news.

Below are some selected articles:

Syrian Civil War -
"Who are the Syrian opposition?"
Jul 19, 2013

 Excerpt/Summary: [Provides detailed info on specific groups]

• Rebel groups now number in the hundreds and possibly thousands, and occupy a spectrum from moderates fighting to topple the regime to extremists motivated by sectarian aims. 
• Sometimes rebel groups work together; at other times they clash. 
• The sectarian nature of the conflict is deepening as ever more foreign fighters flock to Syria to support the regime (whose core is Alawite, the esoteric Shia sect to which the Assad family belongs) or the opposition (which, like Syria's population, is majority Sunni). 

Eyesight and Eye Health

The Q&A: Dr Geoff Tabin and Dr Sanduk Ruit: Visionary
Aug 19th 2013

Excerpt/Summary: [Two doctors discuss their project to rid the world of preventable blindness]

• The world has around 40m blind people
• 90% of blind people live in the developing world.
• 85% of the blindness in the world could be corrected or could have been prevented.
• Half of all blindness is from treatable cataracts.

Review by Rachael Smithey, SWC Librarian