April is National Poetry Month

Celebrate the month of April by reading some great poetry! We have created a great display of poetry books in the display case in the foyer of the Miller Information Commons. Enjoy!

NEWS: MANGO Languages

We are happy to announce that Champlain has recently licensed a product called Mango to provide on-line language learning support. Mango includes conversational language instruction for a variety of languages such as Arabic, French, Irish Gaelic, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi and many others. For some languages, ESL support is also available. Mango is web-based and accessible to Champlain students, faculty, and staff through the library website (under "M" in the "All Databases A-Z" link), or you can enter it directly using this URL: http://bit.ly/ava6h3

While Mango is not meant to replace traditional classroom instruction, it is a great starting point if you want to "try out" or brush up on a language, and an excellent resource for students, faculty, or staff who will be traveling. If you are using a computer with a microphone, you can even record yourself and compare your pronunciation with the instructor's.

Give Mango a try!

NEWS: Harry Potter exhibit

“There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.”
---Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J. K. Rowling

The Champlain College Library is happy to announce that the exhibit "Harry Potter's World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine" will be coming to Miller Information Commons early this Fall, 2010.

This exhibition, made available by the National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health, is a fascinating look at Renaissance science, magic, and medicine, all in the context of J. K. Rowling's renowned Harry Potter series. The exhibit explores Harry Potter’s world with its roots in Renaissance science, and examines important ethical topics such as the desire for knowledge, the effects of prejudice, and the responsibility that comes with power.

Of course, the Library is planning an exciting series of events and activities to accompany the exhibit! Project Coordinators Marie Kascus and Paula Olsen are planning a creative set of speakers and events, and are working with collaborators from all over campus and beyond to make this an exhibit to remember. The themes and interest level of the exhibit make it a natural tie-in for many subject areas from the Core to the arts to the sciences, so you can expect several intriguing accompaniments to the exhibit itself.

"Harry Potter's World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine" will be on display in the main floor Tower room in Miller Information Commons from the end of August into mid-October, 2010 (precise dates to be announced). If you are interested in learning more about the exhibit or using it to further your courses, please contact Marie Kascus (kascus@champlain.edu or x2712) or Paula Olsen (olsen@champlain.edu or x6486).

For a sneak peak at the exhibit, view http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/harrypottersworld/exhibition.html

See you at the exhibit this Fall!

DISPLAY:Celebrate: Black History Month!

Black History Month started as a month long celebration in February 1976. The Library has a wonderful collection of books on Black History and we have created a display at the circulation desk for your enjoyment. If you have a moment please stop by and check it out!

DISPLAY: J. D. Salinger

Jerome David "J. D." Salinger, January 1, 1919-January 27, 2010, was an American author best known for his book The Catcher in the Rye. He was 91 years of age, and, according to Wikipedia, his last published work was in 1965, and his last interview in 1980. If you are passing through the MIC in the next couple of days, take an opportunity to look at our display honoring Mr. Salinger.

Champlain joins NITLE

Champlain College is now an institutional member of the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), a community-based, non-profit initiative that helps colleges and universities explore and implement digital technologies. NITLE's mission is to catalyze innovation to advance liberal education in the digital age. As their website describes, "We are centrally concerned with the integration of technology into teaching and learning, strategic approaches to managing technology infrastructure on small campuses, and the impact and implications of emerging technologies for liberal education."
Champlain faculty and staff members can take advantage of Champlain's NITLE membership in several ways:

1. Join an online community and share ideas about teaching with colleagues at other schools. Sample communities include: Advancing pedagogical uses of technology on campus,... Teaching about North Africa, the Middle East, and Islam ...Teaching and supporting teaching of languages and cultures (see details)


2. Follow NITLE's blogs


3. Participate in online sessions held in the "virtual auditorium" on topics such as "Teaching with Mobile Devices: Mapwalks" or "Using Technology to Teach Contemporary Political Conflicts" (see more information on virtual as well as F2F events)


4. Learn more about NITLE via the NITLE website

Martin Luther King Jr.Display

In honor and remembrance of MLK Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, we have created a display of books at the Library Circulation desk. We have a wonderful collection of books on MLK Jr. and have hand picked some of our favorites. Come by the library and check it out! All books are available for borrowing.