John Tyler Community College Library Blog

JSTOR (Journal Storage) is an electronic archive of academic journals. JTCC subscribes to four of JSTOR’s collections, which gives students and faculty to approximately 550 journals. The collections are particularly strong in the humanities, notably history, language, literature, political science, art, and philosophy. JSTOR journals work on a moving wall system; there is a time lag of (usually) 3 to 5 years from the most current issue of a publication and the full text available in JSTOR.

Crucial facts:

• All full text, so no frustration with finding the perfect citation with no access to the article.
• Facilitates interdisciplinary research (like background on the Victorian era when studying Charles Dickens).
• Digital formats with links to related articles and related references in Google Scholar.

Check for JSTOR on the main databases page on the JTCC library website and add another tool to your researcher’s toolbox.

Filmmaker and film historian Kevin Brownlow has spent over forty years working tirelessly to preserve and document the age of silent cinema.  In the 1960’s he began to interview hundreds of people associated with the era. From actors and directors to stuntmen and technicians, he realized that a whole generation of knowledgeable artists was beginning to pass into history, taking their stories with them. His efforts resulted in the 1968 publication of The Parade’s Gone By… and it remains, even today, perhaps the most important book ever written about the period.

The book is filled with rare photographs which include portraits, production stills, and even frame by frame analysis of the editing in certain film scenes to illustrate how a certain stunt was accomplished. Brownlow studied studio documents, personal correspondence and contemporary publications during his research, but it is the interviews that make this book so valuable. They provide an incredible window into the era. These firsthand accounts are told with passionate detail and a sense of gratitude that someone finally took the time to ask. These oral histories, whether from big name directors such as Clarence Brown, or stuntmen like Eddie Sutherland, bring this lost era back to life.

The Parade’s Gone By…is a must read for any aspiring filmmaker. Kevin Brownlow has created an important collection of primary source documents for anyone interested in researching silent films. Those with a more casual interest will be captivated by the author’s enthusiasm for his subject, and the fascinating details and insights provided by these artists of a sadly forgotten era.

This book is available for check out at the Midlothian Campus library. You can access the John Tyler library catalog here.

80 Years of Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards is Robert Osborne’s latest update to a series of histories he began when the Academy celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 1978. Osborne, a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter and long time host of the Turner Classic Movies network, is also the official historian of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His genial manner and non-confrontational style make him the perfect choice for this detailed account of the Academy’s long history.

Readers will find it an excellent reference. It begins with a brief introduction to the Academy itself, detailing the events that led to its founding and the goals the academy wished to achieve. The awards themselves were almost an afterthought. The book is then divided into sections. Each decade is given a brief overview, followed by a description of each ceremony held during that time period. A detailed list of award categories is provided which includes all nominees and winners for each ceremony.  Osborne provides interesting anecdotes and covers all the controversies, without ever veering off course or overemphasizing the sensational aspects of the story.

The book is filled with wonderful photographs, many taken from the ceremonies, as well as production stills from the many films honored. These photos contribute to the historical narrative, illustrating the changing faces, styles and times through which the Academy Awards have managed to endure.   Serious students of film will find it an invaluable resource, while casual readers and novice film buffs will appreciate its user friendly chronology and hopefully be moved to further explore the personalities and films it so attractively showcases.

The Midlothian library has been open for nearly two months and is even more popular than the old library.  The new library is located on the second floor of the new Science Building, in room C202. The new space features:

• 120 networked computers, all with Vista and Office 2007
• Comfortable seating
• More open study tables
• Four quiet study rooms with flat screen monitors
• Free Wi-Fi for students, staff and faculty
• HUGE windows

The new library space has the same helpful staff and the same extended hours. Drop by and see for yourself!

Part memoir, part biopic, At Work allows the photographer Annie Leibovitz to speak through and about her work…simultaneously. Instead of separating photography from commentary, the artist from the art, At Work allows both to tell their tale.

At Work follows a straight biographical timeline, and pairs Leibovitz’s photographs with her own words and interpretations-which reads like watching/listening to the director’s commentary version of a film. The book begins with Leibovitz’s first subjects (her family, including grandmother), through her tour with the Rolling Stones, then her work FOR Rolling Stone magazine and Gap. Many of her iconic photos are here, including the naked and pregnant Demi Moore, the cast of the Sopranos posed as The Last Supper, and the image of John and Yoko taken hours before his assassination.

Leibovitz tells the story of each photograph, and describes with them the evolution of her as an artist, the refining of her technique. She also divulges the stories from behind the camera, of the photo shoots, of the failed attempts and accidental successes. This honest and confessional storytelling shows the creative process, and how many mistakes can lead to a great success.

Check out Annie Leibovitz At Work in the John Tyler Library catalog and hear and see an American artist in her own words.

The Midlothian Campus Library is moving to the new science building.

• The library will be closed during the move, from July 27-August 22.
• Return books to book drops in first floor hall of Academic Building or on traffic circle next to the Academic Building.
• Need to pay fines or pay for lost materials? Check with the business office in the Administration Building.
• Need information assistance? Contact the Chester Campus at 706-5195.

Library will reopen August 24 in the Science Bldg, C202, for the first day of Fall classes.

See you after the jump!

The John Tyler Community College Libraries will have a reduced schedule during the upcoming summer break.

• June 29-July 2/Monday-Thursday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
• July 3/Friday: CLOSED
• July 4/Saturday: CLOSED

Normal library hours will resume Monday, July 6.

Subtitled “two dudes, one fry-oil-powered car, and a cross-country search for a greener future,” Greasy Rider mixes the adventure of a cross country road trip with stories from the ecological side of America.

Author Greg Melville converts his 1995 Mercedes diesel to run on used cooking oil. So enthralled with his “new” vehicle, he enlists his good friend (and part-time mechanic) Iggy to travel with him across the country,  powered only by cooking oil begged from restaurants along the way. En route they make green side trips, at a wind farm, Al Gore’s Tennessee eco-mansion, and Google Headquarters.

Part road trip, part buddy movie, part environmental exploration, Greasy Rider manages to inform while it entertains. Take a testosterone and grease-driven trip in Greasy Rider.

Check the availability of Greasy Rider in the John Tyler Community College catalog.

The Modern Language Association published a major update of the manual this year. MLA style is a popular citation style at John Tyler; this change will affect multiple disciplines.

This 7^th edition has changed the rules for citing sources to make things clearer in electronic sources and bibliographies.

• No underlining. MLA now asks for italicizing the titiles of journals, books, and films.
• No URLS. Pasting a web address is no longer required.
• Publication form is required. Now citations must include the form of the material: Print, Web, performance, etc. at the end of the citation.

The Online Writing Lab (OWL at Purdue) has an excellent summary of these changes, along with multiple examples of different formats.

Each campus library has two copies of the 7th edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers; one will always be in the library for students and faculty to use.

All summer we will be highlighting some winners from the collection for summer reading. Try some new authors, explore some new topics, enjoy the pace of summer with the library.

The Places in Between by Rory Stewart

In 2002 Rory Stewart, a British national and diplomat, set out to walk across Afghanistan. Accompanied by the dog Babur, retired fighting mastiff, he walked 20 miles a day. He relied on the people he met to provide him with food and shelter.  Everywhere Stewart listened to the stories of the people; heroes and rogues, soldiers and foreign aid workers. Stewart’s spare writing style impresses with its integrity and realism.  Stewart gives a true insider’s view of a complex society, an illuminating introduction to a misunderstood place.

Check for the availability of The Places in Between in the John Tyler Community College Library Catalog.