Online digitization project

Click the logo above to take a look at the great initiative that Dutchess Community College is involved with! Hudson River Valley Heritage presents to the public a collection of digitized photos, memos, objects, and oral contributions covering the history of the Hudson River Valley area. More materials are being posted daily!

Local libraries, historical societies, colleges and organizations have all joined together in contributing to this collaborative effort of documenting the history of the Hudson River Valley through images. This online, unlimited access digitization project is being spearheaded by Southeastern New York Library Resources Council (SENYLRC) and the Francis U. and Mary F. Ritz Library is proud to be involved with digitizing 50 years of photos and documentation pertaining to the history of the community college and its contributions to the community.

Click here to link to DCC's historical images. Click here to view a list of all the collections that are available to access. Let us know what you think!

Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month

Anniversary of Little Rock Nine

Visit the Francis U. and Mary F. Ritz Library Display Case
3rd Floor
Hudson Hall

Usage Dictionaries

Oftentimes, in the midst of composing a paper, you’ll find that your spell check just doesn’t help (of all those suggestions in the drop-down box which one is right?) and only later do you discover, when your paper comes back, that you should have used effect instead of affect, or that you have erroneously substituted the word discreet for its nearly identical counterpart discrete. In any case, to avoid the scourge of red pen, students should refer to a Usage Dictionary when they have any doubts concerning the proper use of a word. What, you might ask, is a Usage Dictionary? Well, a Usage Dictionary differs from normal dictionaries in that it gives explanations instead of definitions, and shows specific examples of proper use. Paul Brians is a Professor at Washington State University and has created a handy little website called Common Errors in English Usage that is much like a usage dictionary. For those looking for fuller treatments on particular words nothing can beat the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage where a typical entry spans half a page. We also have a collection of others here!

So whether you lean more toward the descriptive side of the linguistics debate or tend to be one those who insist on using King’s English even in Instant Messages, consider that Professors and Employers appreciate attention to detail in all matters and you can certainly convey that in your written work.

Tired of reading the same old stuff?

Well, check out the Ritz Library's "New Books" display! The library is constantly purchasing new materials to support the school's curriculum. From psychology to mathematics, new books are constantly being added to the library's collection. Works of literature, poetry, fiction, criticisms, scientific discoveries - the latest and greatest information can easily be found by walking into the library and heading to our "New Books" display.

There are several ways you can find the "New Books" in our library. First, stop on by and browse the collection itself. Second, take a look through myDCC. Click on the Library tab, and in the bottom right hand corner there is a link that is automatically updated weekly which brings you to a list of new books in our collection. Click here to go directly to the new books list. Third, you can go directly to our catalog and click on "Limit by collection", and then select New Books from the drop down list.

The "New Books" display is located diagonally across from the Circulation desk in the middle of the sitting area of the library.

What is the Scoop on Ceramics?

Discover how the study of Ceramics encompasses more than just Art. It includes six other subjects. Can you guess what they are?

Come visit the Francis U. and Mary F. Ritz Library Display Case located on the 3rd Floor of Hudson Hall and find out what the scoop on ceramics is all about.

Yale University's Open Archives

Check out this article from "Inside Higher Ed" on Yale University's open access to 7 of their courses, covering astrophysics, modern poetry, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, and religion. Course documentation, videos and transcripts are available online, free!

Other links to open access courses are also mentioned.

E-text books coming this way?

An age-old argument is about the cost of textbooks to college students. Is it time for reading habits to change and for textbooks to go digital? Well, maybe... for further information, click here.