Topical | Dakota County Technical College Library

Native American Heritage Month 2024

November is Native American Heritage Month, also known as National American Indian Heritage Month. Join us in celebrating the rich history, the variety of cultures, and the many contributions of the First Americans to the world. As President Biden said in his Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month, 2024:

Indigenous peoples have persisted and survived — a testament to their resilience and resolve. Today, Native communities are leading the way forward and continuing to strengthen the fabric of the United States. They have long served in the United States military and currently serve in the highest levels of government — including the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, America’s first Native American Cabinet secretary. In every field and sector, Native peoples are pushing for progress and contributing to our shared prosperity.

Learn more with books, ebooks, and videos from our collection and check out these sites for more information:

November 6, 2024 • Topical • Views: 4592

Banned Books Week 2024

“Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.” —Article 3, Library Bill of Rights

Did you know there are hundreds of attempts to remove books from libraries and classrooms every year? Last year, 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship, 65% more than in 2022. That’s the most the American Library Association has ever documented in more than 20 years. Most of the challenged books were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color. Please join us in celebrating this year’s Banned Books Week (September 22-28) and our freedom to read. You can learn more with our Banned Books library guide. Here are some of the titles on the American Library Association’s lists of Frequently Challenged Books that you’ll find in our collection:

The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
1984, by George Orwell
The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway
The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Exercise your First Amendment rights by reading these books!

September 25, 2024 • Topical • Views: 2794

National Hispanic Heritage Month 2024

September 15th through October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month. As President Biden said in his Proclamation on National Hispanic Heritage Month, 2024:

From those who have been here for generations to those who have recently arrived, Latinos have pushed our great American experiment forward. They are the community, faith, and union leaders who advocate and stand up for all of us. They are the first responders, who put themselves in harm’s way to keep the rest of us safe. And they represent the best of who we are as a Nation — the teachers and doctors, athletes and artists, business leaders, public servants, and so much more. They embody the possibilities of our Nation and the dreams of those who work every day to build a better future for their children, grandchildren, and beyond.

Wondering about the dates? September 15th marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16th and Chile on the 18th.

Learn more with books, ebooks, and videos from our collection and visit these sites for more information:

September 16, 2024 • Topical • Views: 5386

LGBTQ Pride Month

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month, a celebration of LGBTQ culture and history and a call to end prejudice and discrimination against people based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Learn more with books, ebooks, and videos from our collection and check out these sites for more information:

Stop by the Library and check out our pride display, or take a look at our virtual LGBTQ+ Pride Month collection!

June 10, 2024 • Topical • Views: 5891

National Poetry Month 2024

April is National Poetry Month and you’ll find lots of poetry in our print and online collections. Visit these sites for more poetry resources:

Stop by and check out our poetry display!

April 8, 2024 • Topical • Views: 3707

Women’s History Month 2024

March is Women’s History Month. Celebrate women’s achievements and history with these books from our collection. Check out these sites for more information:

Check out our Women’s History Month display and explore our collection!

March 11, 2024 • Topical • Views: 4665

Black History Month

February is Black History Month, a celebration of African American contributions to American history, culture, and society.
Learn about black history with books and videos from our collection and check out these sites for more information:

February 2, 2024 • Topical • Views: 4723

Native American Heritage Month 2023

November is Native American Heritage Month, also known as National American Indian Heritage Month. Join us in celebrating the rich history, the variety of cultures, and the many contributions of the First Americans to the world. Learn more with books, ebooks, and videos from our collection.

Check out these sites for more information:

November 3, 2023 • Topical • Views: 4531

Banned Books Week 2023

“Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.” —Article 3, Library Bill of Rights

Did you know there are hundreds of attempts to remove books from libraries and classrooms every year? Just last year, the American Library Association recorded 2,571 books targeted for removal, the most since they began tracking more than 20 years ago. Most of the challenged books were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color. Please join us in celebrating this year’s Banned Books Week (October 1-7) and our freedom to read. You can learn more with our Banned Books library guide. Here are some of the titles on the American Library Association’s lists of Frequently Challenged Books that you’ll find in our collection:

The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
1984, by George Orwell
The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway
The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Check one out and exercise your First Amendment rights!

October 3, 2023 • Topical • Views: 2692

National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15th through October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month. As President Biden said in his Proclamation on National Hispanic Heritage Month, 2022:

Since the beginning, our country has drawn strength and insights from Hispanic writers, scientists, soldiers, doctors, entrepreneurs, academics, and leaders in labor and government. Our culture has been enriched by the rhythms, art, literature, and creativity of Hispanic peoples. And our deepest values have been informed by the love of family and faith that is at the core of so many Hispanic communities. All of these contributions help us realize the promise of America for all Americans.