John Tyler Community College Library Blog

Rethinking your plate? Eating local? Eating less—or cooking more?

Food itself (organic, sustainable, local) is in the news. No longer are American fed by our own family’s farms; now our dinner is dished out by big agribusiness. Do factory farms make us sick? Does the American diet provide the nutrition we need? How do we fight the obesity epidemic for ourselves and our children?

Small farmers and food reformers are working to change the grip of big business on our appetites. Read more about how and why with these books from the JTCC Library.

Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan. The book that started it all! Pollan traces dinner back to its beginnings, in the field, in the stockyards, in the lab. He asks, “What should we have for dinner?”

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan. “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan. Collection of quick tips on what to eat and why.

Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with 75 Recipes by Mark Bittman.  The author of “How to Cook Everything” takes a look at his own diet and changes it radically. Food Matters combines a no-nonsense diet guide with a healthy recipe collection.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver: Barbara Kingsolver (and her family) vows to eat within 100 miles of home for one year, and write about it. Dad and teenage daughter also contribute.

The Town that Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food by Ben Hewitt.  Profile of the agri-entrepreneurs of Hardwick, who both created a sustainable food system and kick-started the local economy.

Stuck without a flash drive? No access to a desktop computer?

Create and load your documents into Google Documents. Google Docs comes automatically with John Tyler email. Have access to all of your docs anywhere with an internet connection or smart phone. No flash drive needed!

With Google docs you can:

• Upload any file for simple access
• Create documents, spreadsheets and presentations. No need to purchase Microsoft Office.
• Share your work in real time with the collaboration tool.

Find the link to Google docs on your JTCC email page.

Need more information? Check out the videos and tutorials on the Google Docs page.

In Being with Animals, Barbara J. King explores why we are fascinated by the animals around us.

King begins with the dawn of time in the Chaudet Cave, where prehistoric humans painted images of aurouchs, mammoth, and deer on the walls. Dogs likely walked over the Bering Strait with the first Americans; 10,000 year old canine and human bones in were discovered in Utah’s Danger Cave. King discusses modern times with animals that populate our homes and our landscapes, from Mister Ed the Talking Horse to the bison of Yellowstone National Park. Included is an extensive index and bibliography. King is an anthropologist at William and Mary; Being with Animals gives an academic slant on a popular topic.

Need more time with critters? Try these from the collections of the John Tyler Libraries:

Marley and Me by John Grogan.

Adventures with the world’s worst dog? You decide!

Dewey, the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron.

A tiny kitten is pushed through a Midwestern library’s bookdrop on the coldest day of the year. Dewey Readmore Books becomes the library’s mascot and the community’s glue during hard times.

Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin.

Grandin, who is autistic, describes the internal life of animals with her unique brand of insight.

One Good Dog by Susan Wilson. CEO loses his job, his wife and his home, but finds a homeless dog and learns to really live. Nice dog photo on cover!

Alice Fantastic by Maggie Estep.

Two daughters-one an artist, one a professional gambler-are forced to care for their ailing bohemian mother and her 20 rescue dogs. The human and animal characterizations are excellent.

A Year of Cats and Dogs by Margaret Hawkins (staff favorite!)

When her longtime boyfriend moves out, Maryanne decides to withdraw from life, take a career break, and just be. In the quiet of this life, she realizes she can hear her cat Clement and dog Bob thinking. Magical realism is handled expertly by this first time novelist.

Charlottesville resident Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown have collaborated on multiple mysteries. Try Puss ‘n Cahoots or The Purrrfect Murder.

Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand. The story of the famous racehorse and the men who trained him; also made into a movie.

Dogs that Changed the World (audiobook narrated by F. Murray Abraham). Download the tale of how indispensable dogs have been to humans throughout history.

Dogtown:  tales of rescue, rehabilitation, and redemption by Stefan Bechtel. Dogtown chronicles the lives of the veterinarians, trainers, volunteers and dogs of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. (This is the companion book to the National Geographic Series.)

Both campus libraries will have reduced hours during the college’s mid-summer break (July 4-11).

• Monday, July 5. Closed.
  
• Tuesday, July 6  & Wednesday, July 7. Open 7:30 AM -5:00 PM
• Thursday, July 8.  Open 7:30 AM -7:00 PM (this is a change)
  
• Friday, July 9. Open 7:30 AM -5:00 PM
  
• Saturday, July 10. CLOSED

Libraries will resume normal hours Monday, July 12.

Ashanti Luke, Author of Dusk

On July 3, Local author and JTCC adjunct English Professor Ashanti Luke will be giving a reading of his novel Dusk at the Colonial Heights Public Library. After the reading, there will be a short question and answer session. Copies of Dusk will be available for purchase and signing at the reading.

From the back cover:

With the Earth overpopulated and polluted, a group of twenty premier scientists must depart on a mission to explore Asha-a distant, uninhabited planet that may offer solutions to humanity’s burgeoning problems. But when they arrive at Asha, the scientists are brusquely greeted by a mysterious human military force that imprisons them with no explanation.

Astrophysicist Cyrus Chamberlain is among those who left behind their old lives and risked everything on this journey. Unfortunately for Dr. Chamberlain, he finds that even if he survives the many challenges this new world holds for him, he may have already lost more than he ever imagined.

Check out an the first few chapters of the novel, become a fan on Facebook, or find out more information about the book signing on the author’s website, http://ashantiluke.com/home.html.

Cannot make the signing? John Tyler Libraries have a copy of Dusk for checkout.

Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest) have been bestsellers throughout Europe. The John Tyler Libraries have all three of the books in the collection.

In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the first in the series), disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist is hired to find the long-missing heiress Harriet Vanger. He teams with young computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to retrace Harriet’s path. Together they uncover things that most of us would like to forget…or wish we never knew.

Steig’s biographer Barry Forshaw described the novels as “violent, terrifying, and brilliantly written.”  With their fast pacing, detailed plot, and intense situations, these books are both intelligent and thrilling. Students and staff have raved about them.

The first book in the series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, has recently made into a movie in its native Sweden (and subsequently released in theatres in the US.)  IMDB is reporting an American version in 2012, with rumors of Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortensen and Daniel Craig playing the part of Blomkvist.

If you like thrillers, give the trilogy a try. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first in the series; it can be reserved online and delivered to either the Chester or Midlothian campuses. Need help reserving a book? Give us a call 594-1519 or 706-5195.

Join fellow fans (or people who are just not fans YET) in watching the world’s biggest tournament. Games will be shown at Chester the Nicholas Center, and at Midlothian in the Student Lounge, Science Building.

FIFA Schedule

Don’t know anything about soccer? The basics:

• Both teams are trying to score.
• Sometimes nobody scores.
• Keeping the other team from scoring is nearly as important as scoring yourself.
• The game has two 45 minute halves, with a 15 minute halftime break. Commercials are shown only during halftime.
• Watching the fans is part of the fun!

Soccer is a language spoken worldwide. Keep your eyes open and learn!

World Cup fever is about to begin, as the world’s biggest soccer tournament starts in South Africa on June 11. Every four years the top 16 national soccer teams fight for the right to lift the World Cup Trophy. For the first time the continent of Africa will host the world’s biggest tournament.

Soccer still struggles to get a foothold in the American sports establishment (which is still ruled by the triumvirate of Football, Basketball, and Baseball), but the rest of the globe goes mad for the beautiful game.  Children around the US grow up playing soccer, and give fans of the game hope for the future of soccer in America.

Stay abreast of the action and the drama with these helpful sites:

Official World Cup Site

ESPN Commentary

ESPN 3: stream games online

Sport remains a universal language…GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL in any language is still a goal!

Itching to see the world? Don’t have the time or budget for world travel? No worries, we have you covered.   Sit and explore the world from the comfort of home by turning the pages in books that will take you to the most intriguing places on earth.  Discover Italy or safari in Africa with our wonderful collection of foreign travel books.

If staying state-side is on your agenda, check out our collection of local history and travel books.  They range from the history of the sites along the civil rights trail to basic travel guides to accompany visitors to nearby localities.

Looking for a little outdoor fun in the sun this summer?  Feed your wild side with all things nature! Take a peek at our nature guides, hiking handbooks, and trail guides to popular destinations.  The summer is here, live it up and visit our state’s natural wonders!

You can find a display of armchair travel books and travel guides at the John Tyler Community College Midlothian library.  If we don’t have your number one destination, ask one of the staff members and we will try to get you started on your journey!

Though it is no surprise that the library has FREE BOOKS, the library has just received a shipment of books that are true giveaways, free to keep. They are on display in the Midlothian Library, and the Chester Library has a supply as well.

Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch is billed as a mystery and romance blended together. From the back cover:

After Hudson Savage betrayed her, Dana Cardwell hoped never again to lay her eyes on the seductive cowboy. And she didn’t. Until a bunch of old bones showed up on her family ranch. Suddenly he was back in her life in a big way-to investigate a decades-old crime.

Sounds like a good beach read! Come by either of the libraries and pick up your copy.