Take a look at the new books and movies we added to our collection during October! You can find these and everything else in our collection through our catalog, OneSearch. Here are just a few of the new titles. Check them out!
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New titles
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DB Tuesday: Gale In Context: College
Have you ever used Gale In Context: College? It provides an excellent multi-resource view of a wide variety of topics from literature to countries to historical time periods, and is a great first stop for your research paper! Coverage runs from 1964 to the present.
Here is just a sampling of the topics you can research:
- The 1970’s
- Nigeria
- Barack Obama
- Big business
- Soccer
- Halloween
- Idaho
- Body image
Search tips:
- Use ‘Browse Topics’ to read about popular topics
- Basic search for simple keywords
- Advanced search to search within a publication, for keyword combinations, authors, and more
- Example advanced search: If you wanted to know more about the use of nuclear power in Australia, you could search the keywords “Australia” AND “nuclear power”
What does it look like in action?
Landing page:
Browse topics:
Topical main page:
Let us know how this database works for you! Email library@dctc.edu or call 651-423-8366 with feedback and questions.
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Is it true?
It is challenging to evaluate information in the media, with so many sources of news and so many opinions. How can you decide if what you are reading is true? Here are a few questions to try to answer that can help guide your thinking.
1. Where did the information come from? Can you find the name of the individual or organization who published the information? Who paid for it? If the information is anonymous, that calls into question its reliability, because it means the author isn’t willing to stand by their words.
2. Is this source reliable and qualified? Once you know who wrote or said the information, you can evaluate that source for reliability. Do they have some special training or knowledge that qualifies them to speak on the subject? If it is a journalist, are they an eyewitness or did they speak to eyewitnesses? Do they cite their sources? If the author is giving an opinion or evaluation, do they have education and experience in that field? Has the person’s writing proven reliable in the past?
3. Can I confirm the information from another trusted source? Much of the information we’re reading hasn’t been seen or heard just once. Can you find another writer, journalist, or the like who has the same information, preferably from their own eyewitness account or speaking to different eyewitnesses? Do they have a track record of reliability?
4. Can I detect bias? It can be challenging to identify bias; we all have a natural inclination to trust what we already believe ourselves. Try to suspend your own beliefs and see if you can determine the beliefs of the writer. Can you tell if they have an opinion on the subject? Do they use emotional words? Are they describing an event or trying to persuade you to believe their perception of the event? If it’s political, can you tell which party the writer is in?
I hope these questions help guide you in being a discerning reader or viewer. If you need help finding credible sources for school work, please reach out to us at library@dctc.edu!
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The Reference Shelf update
If you’re looking for extensive, unbiased coverage of social issues and topics in the news, check out the Reference Shelf series. You’ll find print copies on our shelves and most are also online at Salem Online. The latest three titles are:
Get the facts and have an informed opinion!
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DB Tuesday: Gale Health & Wellness
Welcome to our new weekly series, Database Tuesday! We’ll take a test-drive through a different database each week. This week we’re exploring Gale’s “Health and Wellness” database, a very timely resource!
Browse subjects easily (including coronavirus resources) or search for specific resources. You’ll find videos, news articles, academic journal articles, reference resources, and more! Content covers everything from specific diseases to testing to treatments and surgeries, and runs from 1984 to the present.
Here’s just a sample of the topics you can research:
- Aging
- Medical marijuana
- Coronavirus
- Food allergies
- Cancer
- Hypertension
- Tai chi
Tips for searching:
- Start typing a keyword in the basic search box to get suggestions on existing topic pages and subject headings.
- Use advanced search to combine search terms. For example, if you wanted to see research on the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating back pain, you could search each keyword in advanced search, using the “AND” combiner.
- Click on ‘Browse Topics’ to scroll through available topic pages.
Here’s what it looks like in action, running a basic journal article search:
Let us know how this database works for you! Email library@dctc.edu with feedback and questions.
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Free magazine and journal issues
2021 will be here soon and we need to discard our oldest magazine and journal issues to make room for new ones. Please see this spreadsheet of discarded issues and contact Naomi if you’d like any of them for your department.
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Cybersecurity Awareness
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM)! Help spread cybersecurity awareness and encourage everyone to own their role in protecting Internet-connected devices.
What can you do to help?
- Keep software up to date
- Consider what personal information you share online
- Use multi-factor authentication when offered
- Set long, different passwords with multiple types of characters for each account
- Use a password manager to help you remember complicated passwords
- Avoid using free, unsecured wi-fi, especially for sensitive activities like banking
- Always assume someone has seen your posts, even if you delete them (act like there is no delete button)
Want to know more? The Library has a great book titled “Cybersecurity and Cyberwar“, both in print and online. Check it out today! We also have numerous online resources to research cybersecurity; search the catalog here. You can also visit cisa.gov/ncsam for more information.
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National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Cancer Institute, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Learn more about the disease, its prevention, and treatment with books, ebooks, and videos from our collection.Check out these sites for more information:
- American Cancer Society – Breast Cancer
- CDC – Breast Cancer
- MedlinePlus – Breast Cancer
- National Breast Cancer Foundation – Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- National Cancer Institute – Breast Cancer
And take a look at these videos from Films On Demand:
- Young Women and Breast Cancer
- 5 Easy Ways to Cut Breast Cancer Risk
- Breast Cancer Vaccine Personalized
- Breast Cancer: New Reasons for Hope series
- The Girlfriend’s Guide to Breast Cancer series
- 3D Mammograms with C-View
- Pieces of Me: The Preemptive Mastectomy Dilemma
- Axel Ullrich (DE): Stopping Cancer at the Root
- Beauty & the Breast
- Mondays at Racine
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Films On Demand update
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Election Basics
The 2020 election is less than a month away. Learn the essentials of voting, absentee ballots, and more with the DCTC Library. Naomi Johnston, our Circulation Manager, and Draven Dugal, DCTC student and former Student Senate Campus Liaison, presented a webinar on October 1st that covers:- why voting matters
- voter eligibility
- registration
- polling places
- absentee voting
- sample ballots
- completing a ballot
- what to expect on Election Day if you vote in person
- understanding election results
- and how to find contact information for elected officials
You can view the recording here: https://mediaspace.minnstate.edu/media/Election+Basics+Webinar/1_bklu8rxx.
Check out this Election Basics Library Guide for more information about elections and voting!
