• 24/7 access to electronic resources will continue as always (use your Barton login to access these from off campus) from the library’s home page (barton.libguides.com)
• All physical items checked out since January 1 (books, DVDs, laptops) will be automatically renewed until August 30, 2020.  If you receive an overdue notice via email for these items, please ignore it.
• If you need to request Interlibrary Loan items, please fill out the online form here.  If you are requesting physical rather than virtual materials, they will be mailed to you when we receive them (please include your mailing address in the “Notes:” field on the form).  E-articles will be sent to your email address.
• If you need to request items from Hackney Library’s collections within the building, send an email to circ@barton.edu with title(s), author(s) and call number(s) if available to request the item(s).  Include your mailing address, and we will mail these to you.
• If you would like to return any items to us before we reopen, you may mail them by whatever service you choose to Hackney Library, Barton College, PO Box 5000, Wilson, NC  27893-7000.

Remember, you may always contact us with questions at reference@barton.edu.  (Please do not leave us voicemails, as we may be working remotely at times.)  We look forward to an easing of these restrictions, but until then, we will continue to serve you in the best way that we can.  Take care, and stay healthy out there!

The individual study rooms located on the elevator-side of Hackney Library’s second floor now boast small reading lamps perched on the top shelf of each carrel; these will shed more (and varied) light on whatever subject you’re studying, both in the study rooms with windows and in those without.

The new lamps have several brightness settings, including the most illuminating (“Reading”), followed in decreasing intensity by “Study,” “Relax,” and “Sleep” (the dimmest setting).  In addition, there is a 60-minute timer button, which when selected will set a timer to turn off the lamp after sixty minutes.

The top arm containing the LED bulb is adjustable, so you can angle or swivel it to point to wherever you need more light.

Come on over and try them out for yourself (and please remember to turn them off when you leave!).

While there may be valid concern over a particular book’s effect on its intended audience, banning books is not the answer; more discussion and education about the sometimes controversial issues these books address is.  (As an example of one such concern, the Wake County Schools recently repeated a warning to parents originally issued by the National Association of School Psychologists not to allow students prone to depression to watch–or not to watch alone–the first season of the Netflix teen drama series “Thirteen Reasons Why,” over fear of the potential for increased teen suicides it might spawn.  The show is based on Jay Asher’s novel of the same name, and that novel is #1 on 2017’s top 10 list of  most frequently challenged books.  For more information about Wake County Schools’ actions, see this May 7, 2018 article in the Raleigh News and Observer.  It’s important to note that the Wake County Schools have not banned the original novel on which the series is based).

This year, The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 354 challenges to library, school and university materials in 2017, involving 416 books challenged or banned in 2017 (some challenges may have included more than one title).  And the number of challenges keeps going up:   2017’s challenged/banned books totaled 31% more than 2016’s, and 2016’s number of challenged books was 17% higher than the year before that.  Often, but not always, challenged or banned books are children’s or young adult books, many of which are considered classics.

Along with 13 other organizations, the ALA sponsors Banned Books Week every year to encourage readers to resist these censorship threats by checking out challenged or banned books, thereby making their own decisions about the books they read.  This year’s Banned Books Week theme is Banning Books Silences Stories.  Speak Out!  Banned Books Week 2018 is being celebrated from September 23-29.

In celebration of Banned Books Week, Hackney Library has put on display copies of print books in our collection that have made Banned Books lists in the past (look for the bright yellow “Caution!” tape around the display near the library’s Technology Classroom on the first floor).  Some of the titles of challenged or banned books in our display may really surprise you.  Our display will begin on Monday, September 24; all the titles on the display may be checked out.

The reasons for book challenges and bans run the gamut across the political and social spectrum; the most frequently-cited reasons for book challenges include the following:

• Sexually explicit content
• Offensive language
• Content unsuited to the targeted age group
• Violence
• Homosexuality
• Expression of religious viewpoint
• Drug use

The top 10 challenged books in 2017, listed below, include mostly titles that Hackney Library does not own, except for number 4, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner; and number 7, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.  Some are repeats from previous years’ lists, while others are included for the first time.

TOP 10 CHALLENGED OR BANNED BOOKS OF 2017 from ALA’s web site):

1. Thirteen Reasons Why written by Jay Asher  Originally published in 2007, this New York Times bestseller has resurfaced as a controversial book after Netflix aired a TV series by the same name. This YA novel was challenged and banned in multiple school districts because it discusses suicide.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian written by Sherman Alexie  Consistently challenged since its publication in 2007 for acknowledging issues such as poverty, alcoholism, and sexuality, this National Book Award winner was challenged in school curriculums because of profanity and situations that were deemed sexually explicit.
3. Drama written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier  This Stonewall Honor Award-winning, 2012 graphic novel from an acclaimed cartoonist was challenged and banned in school libraries because it includes LGBT characters and was considered “confusing.”
4. The Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini  (in Hackney Library’s Fiction Collection:  Call number F H7949k)  This critically acclaimed, multigenerational novel was challenged and banned because it includes sexual violence and was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam.”
5. George written by Alex Gino  Written for elementary-age children, this Lambda Literary Award winner was challenged and banned because it includes a transgender child.
6. Sex is a Funny Word written by Cory Silverberg and illustrated by Fiona Smyth  This 2015 informational children’s book written by a certified sex educator was challenged because it addresses sex education and is believed to lead children to “want to have sex or ask questions about sex.”
7. To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee  (In Hackney Library’s Young Adult Collection:  Call number YA L512t)   This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, considered an American classic, was challenged and banned because of violence and its use of the N-word.
8. The Hate U Give written by Angie Thomas  Despite winning multiple awards and being the most searched-for book on Goodreads during its debut year, this YA novel was challenged and banned in school libraries and curriculums because it was considered “pervasively vulgar” and because of drug use, profanity, and offensive language.
9. And Tango Makes Three written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole  Returning after a brief hiatus from the Top Ten Most Challenged list, this ALA Notable Children’s Book, published in 2005, was challenged and labeled because it features a same-sex relationship.
10. I Am Jazz written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas  This autobiographical picture book co-written by the 13-year-old protagonist was challenged because it addresses gender identity.

So let’s not silence those stories, let’s talk about them instead:  “Speak out” against censorship by checking out a banned or challenged book from our display today!

Featured in the exhibit is the work of several Barton students:

• Nicola Macdonald (Freshman):  “Final Still Life” (charcoal on paper) and “Limited palette Still Life 1” (oil on canvas)
• Abigail Wade (Freshman):  “Graphic Jellyfish” (graphite on paper)
• Reina Abruzzo (Sophomore):  “Untitled” and “Blue Monochromatic” (oil on canvas)
• Amy Wahl (Sophomore):  “Isolation” (photography)
• Angel Webb (Junior):  “Still Life” (charcoal on paper) and “Gray Day” (ink on paper)
• Brittany Moore (Senior):  “Slip Experiment,” “Slip Applied Pair,” and “Spotted Vessel” (ceramics)

According to Barton Art League president Nicola Macdonald, “one of our ongoing projects is to keep the Hackney Library Art Board continuously occupied with new projects.  As a collective, we decided the appropriate first exhibition we run would be to display various student artworks.”  The works on display represent a variety of media.

“We often get messages and comments on how the campus needs more student artwork displayed,” Macdonald says.  “Barton College is filled with very artistically talented students….We want to be able to create an opportunity for students to have their artwork exhibited as much as possible,” which helps both the campus and art students, for whom having their work displayed is “a great experience,” says Macdonald.  “We hope this can be the start of a growing habit of having student artwork on show, not only in the Hackney Library, but all around campus.”

Macdonald invites others with a “genuine passion for art and all the creative fields” to join forces with the BAL.  She says that the group is not limited to just art students, nor to only the visual arts.  If you are interested in joining, please contact Nicola at nlmacdonald@bulldogs.barton.edu.

Stop by Hackney Library when you get a moment and witness for yourself the creative student talent on display.

One of Hackney Library’s new resources through NCLIVE can help with all of these and more:  It’s called Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC).  Published by Gale, it is now available here, on the Career Exploration LibGuide, and on the library’s web site under “T” in our “A-Z List” of all our resources.

TERC is a testing and education preparation resource that includes in-depth information on college, graduate, and professional programs, professional training, scholarships, and entrance tests alongside practice tests for entrance exams, certifications, and licensing exams for various occupations and programs.

You can begin to explore by choosing what type of student you are under “What type of student are you?” (College, Grad School, International, etc.), and then following up the options associated with each kind of student; or you can choose to explore the various tutorials, practice tests, etc., by category using the links across the top of the page.  You will need to create an account on the site to be able to save your work to and return to it at another time.

If you want some guided practice in using this new tool, try your hand at a tutorial that will walk you quickly through the resources available through TERC and how best to use them.    

TERC is just another utensil to add to your toolbox for preparing for life during and beyond college.  Try it out today!

Mango prepares learners for realistic conversations and strengthens everyday communication skills in over 70 world languages, including English.  It offers over 17 ESL/ELL courses and features an engaging user interface, voice comparison, fresh design, foreign language films, cultural anecdotes, and a user-friendly mobile app.

Mango is available via Hackney Library’s English/Spanish Subject Guide under “Language Resources” on the “Other Resources” tab, and from the M page on our A-Z List on our home page (hover over Search, then click on A to Z List, then click M and scroll down the alphabetical listing to find Mango).

How does Mango work?  Here’s an explanation from Mango’s FAQ page:

Mango utilizes its proprietary methodology, engaging interface, and easy, intuitive interactive tools to deliver practical conversational skills and valuable cultural insight for new languages. Lessons include strategically placed memory-building exercises to help users remember what they are learning in addition to critical thinking exercises, which help them to intuitively understand the language and adapt it to similar conversations. 

 Mango is available now from both on and off campus (if you’re accessing it from off campus, you’ll be prompted for your Barton login).  Once in the software, you will need to create a Mango profile in order to track your progress.

Give it a try and let us know what you think (perhaps even using a newly-acquired language to do so!).

A variety of features are included in this subscription:

• Unlimited access to all premium content at Chronicle.com
• Access to daily updates through newsletters like Academe Today and daily or weekly updates to 11 more e-newsletters
• Special reports and data such as the The Almanac of Higher Education and The Trends Report
• Archived issues back to 1989
• Emailed job alerts

There are a couple of ways to access the Chronicle:

• From on or from off campus, you may go directly to chronicle. com or
• On the library’s home page, hover over the “Search” link and then click on the “A-Z List” link, and choose “C”; then scroll down in the alphabetical listing to find the Chronicle link and click on it from there.

The Chronicle subscription through Barton allows you to set up an individual customizable account on the Chronicle.com site by using your Barton email address as your username and creating a password specific to the Chronicle site.  (If you use an address other than your Barton email, the site will not be able to authenticate you as a Barton patron and you will not be able to take advantage of the access our subscription provides). 

Creating a Chronicle.com Account

Creating your own Chronicle.com account allows you to access additional premium content that you cannot see otherwise, as well as to set up various alerts and more.

• To create a Chronicle.com account from your computer:
  • Go to chronicle.com
  • Click on the “Log In” link on the top right of the Chronicle web page.
  • Choose the “Create an account now” option.
  • Enter and confirm your Barton email address.
  • Continue to follow the directions as they appear on the screen to complete the setup for your account.
• To create a Chronicle.com account from mobile device(s):
  • Go to chronicle.com
  • If you’re in mobile view, scroll down to click on the “Log In” link. Enter and confirm your Barton email address and follow the instructions on the setup pages.
  • If you’re in the standard view: Follow the “If you’re off campus: computer” steps.

When you have successfully authenticated on the Chronicle site (automatic when you access it from on campus, or through logging into your Chronicle account from off campus), you will see the following message in the top right of your screen:

PREMIUM ACCESS PROVIDED BY BARTON COLLEGE

Have fun exploring, and let us know if you have any problems accessing the content!

Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center is a comprehensive electronic resource that enables users to explore industries and careers, plan their education, and research best practices for résumés, cover letters, interviewing, networking, and salaries/benefits. The database includes articles, career advice blogs, and streaming video.

Ferguson’s is available in our A-Z list on the library’s home page, and from the Career Exploration LibGuide on our library page as well.  You can access it from on campus with no password, and it is accessible from off campus to Barton students, faculty, and staff by logging in with your Barton username and password.

Once you have accessed Ferguson’s, it’s recommended that you set up an account within the database to customize your search results and save them to a folder, among other things.  (To do so, click on the “Create an Account” link on the right-hand side of the blue banner at the top of the screen, and follow the instructions.)

Ferguson’s complements several other employment resources—both print and electronic—available through Hackney Library.

So when you’re looking for a job or preparing for a career, remember to try out this new resource (and don’t forget to visit Barton’s Career Services office as well, located in the Office of Student Success in the library)!

The new database is called Historic North Carolina Digital Newspaper Collection and is distributed by ProQuest through NCLIVE.  Its digitized pages come from the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill.  The database may be searched by topic or keyword, and browsed by both city and newspaper name, among other options.  Available right now, it is part of a new collection of resources from NCLIVE that will gradually be rolled out through January 1, 2018.  It’s a great resource for primary documents dealing with North Carolina history.

There are several ways you can access it from Hackney Library’s home page:

• Typing Historic North Carolina Digital Newspaper Collection into OneSearch, and scrolling down to the “Databases” section of the search results; it will be the first link in that section
• Navigating to the link to it by hovering over “Search”, then clicking on the “A-Z List” link, and then clicking on the “H” and browsing through the alphabetical listing of database names, and clicking on it.
• You may also access it from this link.

Try it out and let us know what you think!

This year commemorates the centennial of the United States’ involvement in World War I, and the mannequins and poster exhibits are on temporary loan to us from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) through October 24, 2017.  In only five months of action in 1918, the United States suffered over 275,000 casualties and over 50,000 deaths during the war.

According to the DNCR World War I web site,

With the declaration of war by President Wilson [in 1917], North Carolinians rallied to the cause. Women joined the American Red Cross, YWCA, and Salvation Army to serve as nurses in military hospitals at home and in France. Farmers grew victory acres and children grew thrift gardens to earn money to buy war bonds. Individuals and industry united to support the war effort.

The posters on display throughout the first floor of Hackney Library explore some of the details of North Carolinians’ involvement in the war and on the homefront during the conflagration that came to be known ironically as “the war to end all wars.”

Come by and take a step back in time to see what North Carolinians were doing to support the World War I effort!