Haiti Earthquake Information

The Middletown Thrall Library has put together a special coverage resource guide to the on-going situation in Haiti.  Click here for information.  

Check out our Oversize Books Collection

When you have the opportunity, stop in the Ritz Library and take a gander past the Oversize Books collection. Found in our Oversize Collection are beautiful old and new books on wildlife, nature, birds, art, and architecture among others. For example, we have a 1944 edition of The Birds of America, featuring the original drawings of John James Audubon. The 435 plates of exquisite renderings of the bird life in America found in this volume were originally drawn between the years 1827 - 1838. Complementing the beautiful volumes that we have on birds are multiple books on wild flowers, such as Wild Flowers of the World with paintings by Barbara Everard and two volumes of Wild Flowers of Western Pennsylvania and the Ohio Basin with water colors by Andre Avinoff. Enjoying the beauty of the plates can enhance your day!

In another vein, Stubbs Anatomical Works is a fascinating look at early attempts at representative anatomical exactness. The drawings by Stubbs for The Anatomy of a Horse from 1766 are included, along with human and other animal anatomy drawings. For something completely different, take a look at General Dynamics book entitled Dynamic America. Published in 1960, Dynamic America follows the creation of the General Dynamics Corporation from 1880 until the publication date in 1960. By the way, General Dynamics Corporation still exists today. Dynamic America shows the changes in the United States from a rural nation to an industrialized one. The photos, drawings and pictures included show the effects of the various war efforts and the growth in this country. Included also are images and sheet music reproductions from war times such as George M. Cohan's Over There.

Besides these few great old gems there are various art books such as 30,000 Years of Art and other old books on artists and paintings, architecture, and other topics. Stop in the library and view our Oversize Books Collection!

A blast from the Past

This month, the display case at the entrance to the Ritz is highlighting selected DCC memorabilia that was recently donated to the Jerry Lee Archives. Included is a Dutchess beer mug (from back in the days when liquor was served on campus!) sports decals, tickets from plays in the 70s, and even a book of matches with DCC's logo. Also on display are copies of student and alumni newspapers from the 70s and various other "Blasts from the Past"!

This display will run until January 31st.

Videos of Lyceums available at the Ritz

Is there a DCC Lyceum that you missed and want (or need) to watch? Now you can stop by the Library to view videos of any of the Lyceum programs that have occured during a semester. They're available for both individual and group viewing in the Ritz's Instructional Media room on the third floor of Hudson. Programs ready now include:

• Sonia Manzano" One, Two Three, Who Put Latinas on TV"
• Amber Madison“What You Need to Know About Hooking Up”
• Dr. Samuel S. Bowser “Two Decades on (and Under) Antarctic Ice”

Need more information? Call 431-8634 or e-mail RefDesk

iPods are on reserve in the Ritz Library!

Have you ever wanted to experience music outside the realm of popular music? Perhaps listen to a classical or jazz piece? Well, here is your opportunity. The Ritz Library has two Apple iPod Nanos (portable multi-media devices) on reserve at the front desk that you can borrow for up to four hours for use in the library. Loaded with over 400 classical and jazz music selections, you can review this list and see if a piece you are looking for is available. If not, please let us know. We'd like to expand our selection in the future. If you enjoy using the iPods, please let us know that also. We welcome feedback! Any questions or concerns, please email tina.kiernan@sunydutchess.edu.

Gearing up for Translations!

Do you enjoy art? Being creative? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes", then you may want to learn more about Translations 2010 at DCC.

The purpose of Translations 2010 is to give students an opportunity to explore social issues of the past, present and/or future. So what's involved? Students will complete research through methods learned at DCC, whether it be in an academic discipline such as Anthropology, Economics, Government, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Science, Sociology or through a professional program such as Education, Nursing or Paralegal Studies. They will create a research notebook which will then be interpreted through an artistic medium such as (but not limited to) film, performing arts, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry and play writing. A spring 2010 festival competition will be held where students can present their work.

In case you are wondering, you can work either individually or as a team! A sample application for submission can be found by clicking here.

Three categories of awards for artistic expression will be awarded: Performance Art, Visual Art, and Reading of Literature. ALL participants (students, staff and faculty) will be recognized.

Please contact Pete Phipps for more information or to ask any questions about the festival and how you can be involved. The deadline to enter the contest is April 9, 2010. Faculty and staff are encouraged to be involved as project advisors, mentors, and as judges for the competition.

Pete’s office is located on the 4th floor of Hudson Hall (H- 403-L) and his office phone number is 431-8341. You can also contact him via email at mailto:phipps@sunydutchess.edu.

Playaways are in the Ritz Library!

The genesis of books on tape has been cassettes to CDs to downloads, but what is next? What appears to be next are Playaways - portable audio devices that can be hand-held or plugged into an audio jack (with an additional cable) for easy, convenient listening. The entire contents of a book are found in a case about the size of a traditional cassette.  

The Ritz Library at Dutchess Community College is pleased to announce the addition of Playaways to our book collection. Located at the beginning of the McNaughton and New Books reading collections next to the periodicals, you can browse the Playaways for titles that might interest you. If you find a title you'd like to listen to, bring it to the Circulation desk at the front of the library and the staff will check it out to you for two weeks. If you need additional listening time, you may renew your titles once. Confused about how to operate the Playaway? The instructions are included on the inside cover of the box, but we have more detailed handouts, if desired. Hit the power button, hit the play button and you are good to go.

So what titles does the library currently have?

Walk Away the Pounds Hamlet - John Gielgud's Classic 1948 Recording NPR Driveway Moments - Baseball The Sonnets Elegance of the Hedgehog (NYT Bestseller) 100 Poems Audacity of Hope, The Drinking Coffee Elsewhere Interpreter of Maladies 7 Habits of Highly Effective People & 8th Habit, The Way We Eat, The Billionaire Who Wasn't, The Wave, The Armageddon in Retrospect Life and Works - Frederic Chopin Voice of the Violin 9 to 5 Window Louis L'Amour Collection Father Knows Less, or: "Can I Cook My Sister?" Credit Repair Kit for Dummies Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell Starship Troopers Assassination Vacation America's Great Depression First 30 Days, The Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life Dead Witch Walking K'wan Presents Bullet Proof Love Joker One Valley of Silence

The question has come up, "what if I want to listen in my car?" If you have a new vehicle, you can check out an audio cable at the front desk. If you have an older vehicle that has an iPod adapter already set up; for example, a cassette with an iPod wire attached, or an iPod speaker system at home, the audio cable will work with that also.

If you enjoy listening to Playaways, please let us know! We are looking to know what you think about this collection!