NEWS: NextGen Librarian Award

Andrew Burkhardt, Champlain College's Emerging Technologies Librarian, has been named a recipient of the Lyrasis 2010 NextGen Librarian Award.

This award honors three librarians new to the library profession who demonstrate an innovative and fresh approach to the profession and are leaders in our rapidly changing world. In selecting Andy, the award committee commended his ability to stay current to new technologies while valuing the importance of in-person connections. In their nomination materials, Andy's campus colleagues praised him as "a dynamic force" and "a key player in expanding the effective use of technologies within the library and on our campus" but also emphasized his sense of balance: "He brings innovative, fresh ideas, and fun to our library, but he also brings a seriousness of purpose and a genuine respect for others." "From his first day," one nominator wrote, "Andy has represented a dynamic force for positive changes, and has made the Miller Information Commons an even more integral part of the college environment."

As one of the three winners, Andy will receive an honorarium to cover registration and hotel accommodations to a library conference of his choice, and he will be interviewed for an article in the LYRASIS Newsletter and featured on the LYRASIS website. The award will be presented at the American Library Association 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

LYRASIS, the award's sponsor, is the nation’s largest regional library consortium, fostering collaboration and cooperation among member libraries and facilitating their success through networking, programming, innovative solutions, and group purchasing for products and services.

DISPLAY: In observation of Memorial Day

Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day, is observed on the last Monday of May to remember and honor American women and men who have died while serving their country. This national holiday was first observed following the end of the Civil War. A collection of books in commemoration of the Memorial Day holiday is on display at the library circulation desk in the MIC.

DISPLAY: May is Latino & Hispanic Authors Month

May is a great month to check out books by and about Latinos and Hispanics. We have created a display at the Library circulation desk of some wonderful books by Latinos and Hispanics as well as books about those cultures. All books are available for check out. Enjoy!

FREE Coffee and Snacks!

From 4/22 - 4/29 the library will have snacks and coffee available on the first floor of the library for free from 8pm - close every night. We know it's a stressful time so the Provost's Office, the library, and generous community members have teamed up to keep student energy up and stress down when studying for finals and writing last minute papers. Help yourself to coffee, tea, and snacks while they last. Good luck on finals!

Books on Photography and World Cultures

Books on Photography and World Cultures come together in this library exhibit assembled in conjunction with the 3rd Annual International Photo Contest being held at the Miller Information Commons

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!