National Parks

With summer just around the corner, fun-filled vacations may be in your future. With the help of Google Maps, you can now explore the National Parks from the comfort of your own home. While this surely is no substitute for the delight of seeing these beautiful landmarks in person, it can help you decide between destinations. https://www.google.com/maps/streetview/#us-national-parks-and-historic-sites 

Don't stop your research at the online tour.

Celebrate the birth of the first National Park in the United States (and quite possibly the world). Yellowstone Park has been a protected land for the last 140 years. National Geographic is commemorating this landmark occasion in their latest edition of the magazine (available online). Learn about volcanoes and Grizzly Bear attacks as well as environmental issues that continue to plague this large natural reserve.

Or, broaden your horizons, by learning more about the origins of the National Parks in the book: America's Public Lands: from Yellowstone to Smokey Bear and Beyond
by Randall K. Wilson
Rowman and Littlefield, 2014

Southwestern College Library
Stacks: Call Number: HD216 .W48 2014

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

Review by Lauren McFall, SWC Librarian

Check It Out

The Nightingale
by Kristin Hannah.
New York: St Martin’s Press, 2015.
Main Stacks: Call number: PS 3558 .A4763 N55 2015
Books may be checked out for four weeks with your SWC photo ID card.

A novel has got to be something really special to actually bring me to tears! Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale is set in Paris and its surroundings just as World War II is spreading across Europe. Isabelle and Viann Rossignol (which means Nightingale in French) are two sisters with very different personalities, lives, and coping mechanisms. Part spy epic, part romance, part gut wrenching historical fiction this novel is hard to put down. As rations become scarce and German soldiers are billeted in family homes it becomes clear to everyone that the life has forever been changed. You will find yourself berating characters for choices they made without the benefit of our historical vantage point. Whichever sister you find yourself identifying with The Nightingale will have you asking yourself what you would risk to protect your child, your country, and humanity. 

Review by Sarah Way, SWC Librarian

Ask us now!

Ask us now!

Chat with a librarian

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Free research assistance

Available for all SWC students

More open hours coming soon!

Beginning May 9, you will have more time to study at the Library. We will be open earlier and stay open later.

See you at the Library!

May 9 - May 25, 2016:
Monday - Thursday: 7:30 am - 9:30 pm
Friday: 7:30 am - 4 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm

Interested in criminal justice?

Learn more about SWC's Police Academy program at the SWC Otay Mesa Library!

In addition to highlighting information about SWC's program, the Library's exhibit steers you toward excellent resources as you prepare for this career.

We have books, e-books, videos, articles, and more!

See you at the OM Library!

Get help even when we're closed!

Ask us now!

Chat with a librarian

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Free research assistance

Available for all SWC students

Photos/Videos from B.A.R.S.

Weren't able to make it to B.A.R.S. II: Black Arts Rap Session today? Here are a few photos and videos.

Special thanks to DaVonté Roberts, Dr. Rachel Hastings, and the Black Student Union for co-hosting the event with the Friends of SWC Library.

Check It Out

A Nation in Pain: Healing Our Nation's Biggest Health Problem
by Judy Foreman
Oxford University Press, 2014
New Book Shelf: Call Number: RB 127 .F672 2014

Judy Foreman, health columnist, award-winning journalist, and author of A Nation in Pain: Healing Our Nation’s Biggest Health Problem, claims that chronic pain is the biggest health problem in American today.

After dealing with her personal experience with chronic neck pain, and after years of research and interviews with medical professionals and patients, Foreman discovered that although pain frequently is not curable, the inadequate management offered for pain relief is a serious issue. As Foreman states in her book, “when chronic pain is inadequately treated, it undermines the body and mind… far more than a symptom, chronic pain can be a disease in its own right.”

Published in partnership with the International Association for the Study of Pain, Foreman’s book offers a plan of action to include improved pain education in medical schools and changes in federal policies. A Nation in Pain provides a guide to understanding what the underlying causes of an individual’s pain may be such as: genetic susceptibility, gender differences and hormone factors, undertreated pain in children, and the role of the immune system. She addresses alternative treatments to include marijuana, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care and exercise.

New books are available for four-week check out with your SWC photo ID card.

Review by Tanya Carr, SWC Librarian

Primary Sources? What?

Our final 30-Minute Thursday Workshop of the semester is: Primary Sources.

Join us tomorrow -- we'll cover, "What the heck is a primary source?" and "How can I find them??"

See you there!

Join us on Thursday!

The Black Student Union and the Friends of the Library are hosting B.A.R.S.: Black Arts Rap Session on Thursday, April 21.

Join us 12 pm - 1pm in Room L238 N/S.

This event is open to all SWC students, staff, and faculty.

See you there!

Check It Out

The Diabetes Reset: Avoid It. Control It. Even Reverse It.
George L. King, M.D.
New York: Workman Publishing Company, 2014
Main Stacks: Call Number: RC 662.18 K56 2014

 I’m a diabetic and the best recommendation I can give this book is that after looking at it for review purposes I purchased it! Dr. King promises “If you follow the evidence-based approaches in this book, you will begin seeing immediate improvements in your body’s ability to metabolize blood glucose – improvements that will continue to grow over time. At the same time you will also see remarkable improvements in your overall health.”

I didn’t buy this book because of these promises as I’m too much of a doubter to believe them and I’m not going to try to sell them to you. What I was sold on was the author’s writing style which made it easy to understand complex processes in the body, what causes and changes them, and why. I was also impressed by his practical suggestions for making changes.

While I’m not convinced that following his suggestions will reverse my diabetes I do think they (with the possible exception of the “Rural Asian Diet” - RAD) will help. The RAD plan is very controversial because of its rule that 70% of foods eaten should be high-fiber, complex carbs. However, King backs up his statements with recent studies, most of which were published between 2005 and 2014. For example, his bibliography for Strategy 1 (the RAD plan) cites 23 studies. Also, the author should be very credible as he’s the Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Joslin Diabetes Center and many of his arguments are based on studies done at the Center. In addition, he teaches at Harvard Medical and he won the 2015 American Diabetes Association’s award which recognizes “a leading scientist who has made outstanding contributions in the field of diabetes-related macrovascular complications and risk factors.”

In the beginning of his book King briefly discusses five blood tests diabetics should know about and the four “drivers of insulin resistance”. He then goes into much greater detail explaining his eight strategies for resetting diabetes: 1) the RAD plan which calls for an intake of 70% carbs, 15% protein, and 15% fat; 2) reducing body weight by 5% to 7%; 3) increasing the muscles’ glucose-absorbing ability; 4) activating the body’s “calorie-burning brown fat”; 5) maximizing the body’s “inflammation-fighting ability”; 6) getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night; 7) reducing any stress, anxiety, and/or depression one has; and 8) increasing the level of antioxidants in the body. These chapters explain very clearly why each strategy is important, debunk arguments against it, discuss studies which support it, and include helpful explanations on how to accomplish the goal. For example, in the chapter about the RAD diet there are meal plans, snack suggestions, charts giving the fiber, calorie, and fat content for various foods, and more. In the chapter on muscle glucose absorption the author describes how to create your own strength training routine. He discusses several resistance exercise options (weight machines, tubes, dumbbells, etc.) and gives illustrations and descriptions of exercises stating which muscles each works.

The second portion of the book starts with a self-quiz which will give the reader an idea of which risk factors may be affecting his or her ability to process glucose the most. Dr. King then presents a “Twelve Week Implementation Plan” which helps the reader gradually integrate all eight strategies into his/her life. For each week the author gives a detailed goal or goals and includes several pages where the reader can chart his progress. These include daily fat, fiber and calorie intake; minutes of aerobic activity; hours slept; etc.

Review by Sidney Laramie, SWC Librarian

Extended Hours begin May 9

Beginning May 9, you will have more time to study at the Library! We will open earlier and stay open later.

See you at the Library!

May 9 - May 25, 2016:
Monday - Thursday: 7:30 am - 9:30 pm
Friday: 7:30 am - 4 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm

Free Workshop on Primary Sources

Don't miss our final 30-Minute Thursday Workshop of the semester: How to Find Primary Sources. Workshops are at noon on Thursdays in L244.

See you there!

Have a question? We can help!

Ask us now!

Chat with a librarian

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Free research assistance

Available for all SWC students

Extended Hours -- Coming Soon!

Need help with your research? Looking for a quiet place to study? We are going to expand our hours May 9 - May 25!

Library Hours: May 9 - May 25, 2016
Chula Vista Campus
Monday - Thursday: 7:30 am - 9:30 pm
Friday: 7:30 am - 4 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm

See you at the Library!

Falling behind?

Join us this Thursday at noon for the Library Jedi Academy! We will teach you the basics of what you need to know to get that research paper done.

The Library's Library Jedi Academy workshop will be held this noon, Thursday, April 14, in L-244. No sign up is required, and you can ask your instructor if extra credit is available for attending.

See you at the Library!

Check It Out

Permaculture: A Designers' Manual by B.C. Mollison
Tyalgum, Australia : Tagari Publications, [1992], c1988.
Main Stacks: Call Number:  S494.5.P47 M64 1992

Permaculture can briefly be described as an approach to ethical landscape design, with the goal of sustainability and self-sufficiency. Permaculture uses design principles from nature, and takes into account how indigenous people use the land; how water, fire and wind flow through the land; and how soil, water, vegetation, buildings and habitats can be managed in an enduring way. On the larger scale, the goal of permaculture is to create sustainable human settlements and institutions. Permaculture principles can, however, be implemented on any scale - anywhere from a small garden to industrial-scale agroforestry!

The essential text for Permaculture study is Bill Mollison's Permaculture: A Designer's Manual. Although Mollison coined the term permaculture, the principles are based on the practices of sustainable cultures throughout history. The ethical aims of permaculture are care for the earth, care of people, and care of process (self-regulation of consumption and growth, and redistribution of surplus).

A favorite quote of mine from the text concisely summarizes the permaculture philosophy: "The greatest change we need to make is from consumption to production, even if on a small scale, in our own garden. If only 10% of us do this, there is enough for everyone. Hence the futility of revolutionaries who have no gardens, who depend on the very system they attack, and who produce words and bullets, not food and shelter."

While Mollison's book is absolutely *fascinating*, it is a *highly detailed, very dense* 576 pages of illustrations, principles, and philosophical musings. Anyone interested in more approachable overview of permaculture may wish to check out:

Sustainable Revolution: Permaculture in Ecovillages, Urban Farms, and Communities Worldwide
by Juliana Birnbaum and Louis Fox
Berkeley, Calif. : North Atlantic Books, 2014
Main Stacks: Call Number:  S494.5.P47 F69 2014

Both of these books are available for check out with your SWC photo ID card.

Review by Rachael Smithey, SWC Librarian

Save the date!

The Black Student Union and the Friends of the Library are hosting B.A.R.S.: Black Arts Rap Session on Thursday, April 21.

Join us 12 pm - 1pm in Room L238 N/S. This event is open to all SWC students, staff, and faculty.

See you there!

Check It Out

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Library has many books available on this topic. In the New Books collection on the main floor there's a title called, Lived Through This: Listening to the Stories of Sexual Violence Survivors. It was written by Anne K. Ream and published in 2014. Its call number is: HV6556 .R43 2014.

Lived Through This shares the personal stories of rape and sexual assault survivors. The author emphasizes that anyone who survives this experience should not let it define who they are in the present or the future. Sexual assault can happen anywhere, especially in college, but there are community and campus resources to help and support all survivors.

Come to the library to see more Sexual Assault Awareness-related titles on display this month on the third floor. You can search for books by using the SWC Library’s Search the Library Catalog webpage. Books are available for check out for four weeks with your SWC photo ID card.

Have a question? Ask a librarian!

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

The Library has many resources on this topic -- including books, e-books, articles, and videos.

Visit the display on the 3rd floor of the Library to learn more. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center also provides helpful links and information on their website.

Thursday - jump start your career!

Join us this Thursday at noon for a Career Jumpstart!

• What career path are you interested in pursuing? How much will it pay? What kind of education will be required?
• Looking for a job?
• Writing a resume?

The Library's 30 minute Career Jumpstart workshop will be held this noon, Thursday, April 7, in L-244. No sign up is required, and you can ask your instructor if extra credit is available for attending.

See you at the Library!