Hot town, summer reading in the city

Grab your sunscreen and sweet iced tea, because these sizzling reads are fresh off the press! Whether it’s a psychological thriller, action-adventure, or a compelling love story, the Richland College Library is your place to grab this summer’s hottest reads.

The Trials of Apollo: the Dark Prophesy. Let the sun shine on this brand new series from Rick Riordan! Apollo, god of the sun and music, is cast down to Earth as an awkward teenage boy, charged with the task of restoring the Oracles that have gone dark. He’ll have to enlist the help of a dragon, a sorceress, and the son of Hephaestus to defeat the evil Triumvirate. With a marvelous mix of action, pop culture, and droll humor, the Dark Prophesy expands Riordan’s singular twist on classic mythology.

Dragon Teeth. While you’re waiting in mild agony for the new season of Westworld, check out this new novel by its creator, Michael Crichton. Nothing gets as hot as Texas in the summer…unless it’s the Wild West during the days of the gold rush. Two paleontologists pillage, deceive, and sabotage each other in the hunt for dinosaur fossils. Filled with Old West villains, lost treasure, and historic discoveries, this adventure will leave you wanting to pick up a fossil hunter’s hammer and sieve.

Into the Water. Cool down by going Into the Water. Paula Hawkins, whose debut The Girl on the Train exploded onto the literary scene, delivers another captivating thriller. When two women are found dead in the river that runs through the sleepy English town, the water isn’t the only thing that is disturbed by their deaths. Secrets, suspense, and darkness drip down into the reader’s imagination as only Hawkins can eerily achieve.

Crazy is My Superpower. AJ Mendez Brooks didn’t become a WWE superstar overnight. Labeled a “nerdy, loud, crazy, freak,” this unconventional girl with unconventional heart and drive pushed through labels and expectations of what a girl wrestler “should” be. With humor and wit, AJ opens up in this inspiring autobiography about embracing her weaknesses and transforming them into her greatest strengths.

The Sun is Also a Star. A dazzling story of love, the universe, and fate that brings people together. Set in New York, two teens fall in love amidst familial expectations, the looming threat of deportation, and the illogical nature of life. Bittersweet, yet hopeful, Nicola Yoon’s new novel will have you believe in the power of possibility.

Those with current DCCCD employee and student I.D. numbers may link through the titles above and log in to request items be taken to their favorite college libraries for pick up. Ask at the reference desk.

-Ariel Slick

Hidden Gems

The 100 Best Business Books of All Time

Not just a "what do I read next?" book for business types, The 100 Best Business Books of All Time will appeal to readers from across business, non-profit, and educational fields. The book spans a range of titles, includes additional reading lists, and offers tips on how to read a business book.

This title, found in the Z shelves of our library, summarizes books addressing everything from creativity and personal organization to business leadership and business biography. If one of your goals is to read more non-fiction and business titles, but you don't know where to start, this little gem is for you.

Find it on the lower level at Z 7164 C81 C85 2011. For those of you dying to know, "Z" is the Library of Congress' letter designating books covering bibliography, library science, and information resources.

The DCCCD college libraries own at least 82 of the titles mentioned; you can see the list at the Richland College Library WorldCat lists page. 

About our book collection

The library is constantly working to select and purchase hard-copy books to support the Richland College curriculum and students' needs.

Not only does this mean the librarians are putting new items on the shelves, but it means that we are regularly working to relabel and repair our older titles or send away books that are no longer used.

This process, much like weeding and feeding a lawn, helps us to highlight what is relevant, fresh, and fun. When we see hidden gems in the stacks, we would like our students, faculty, and staff to come check them out.

The Richland College Library has some 75,000 books for checking out, so there are plenty to go around. Come on over to the library and head to the lowest level to see what treasure you might discover.

Graphic novelist visiting Richland

Copyrighted cover art.

Graphic novelist Jason Shiga is rumored to be traveling by bus next week to be part of the annual Richland College Literary Festival.

Shiga, author of Empire State: A Love Story (or Not) and Meanwhile, will speak at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, in the Richland Library. The event is free. 

Jimmy, Shiga's main character from Empire State, also travels by bus, seeking adventure and love. The new title is available for check out at the Richland Library. 

Prof. Patrick Murphy spoke to the Richland Chronicle earlier this week about next week's event. Here is the interview. 

Read more about Jason Shiga at http://shigabooks.com/.

Check out the library's graphic novel selections here. 


Happy reading,
R.D.

Art: Lost and found @ the library

Last week, I was able to attend a Dallas Museum of Art lecture during which Dallasite Robert Edsel spoke about the Monuments Men, a group of men and women who helped recover artwork stolen by the Nazis during WWII. Edsel has lived in Europe and has devoted much of the past years to researching and writing about the Nazis' theft of millions upon millions of artworks, books, cultural artifacts, and architectural pieces prior to and during World War II. He is now promoting his latest title, The Monuments Men.

I knew that much had been stolen from the Jewish population and from French museums during that era, but I had no idea of the true scope of the thefts throughout Europe. Pilfered countries not only included France and Germany but Poland, Austria, and Italy. Works stolen (or sometimes purchased) included statues such as the Winged Victory; religious items such as Catholic regalia, Torah scrolls, church bells; and - of course - millions of paintings by any number of artists. These works were to comprise the planned Furor Museum, an art museum to rival all others. It never came to pass, and millions of items were left stashed away in places like salt mines or remote buildings. Other items had been destroyed, including "degenerate" art such as that of Picasso.

Toward the close of the war, the U.S. began assembling a small team of art experts to go into Europe and work to protect the great monuments of Europe during the final battles of WWII. These are the Monuments Men (and women) of whom Robert Edsel writes and speaks. The group grew to include British citizens and some women, most with military experience. Their mission took a turn from protecting just monuments, and they began to see to the rescue of stolen art and cultural objects. Numerous items remain missing, though, and like uncataloged books, there is no way of knowing what may or may not still exist.

Read about art theft through history by checking out a title from the Richland Library or any Dallas County Community District library. Any student, staff, or faculty in DCCCD may check out or request the books at the following pages.

The Monuments Men, by Robert Edsel.
The Rape of Europa, a documentary film on which Edsel collaborated. The original book is by Lynn H. Nicholas.
The Amber Room: The Fate of the World's Greatest Lost Treasure. What happened to the room created entirely from amber for Frederick William I of Prussia?
The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and The Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece. The true story of recovering Edvard Munch's The Scream.
Museum of the Missing: A History of Art Theft. Photos, true crime, and a broad look at art theft.

Title checked out or not at your DCCCD location? Use the "Request it" button to have it held at or delivered to your DCCCD library.

Not a member of the DCCCD community? Search www.worldcat.org to find titles at your nearest library.

Happy reading,
R.D.

Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/fmpgoh/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

New Book Shelf Now on LibraryThing

Have you ever wanted to browse through the library's New Book Shelf without leaving the comfort of your home or office? Now you can.

The Richland College Library is a member of LibraryThing, a social networking site that celebrates books in a myriad of ways. To learn about the history of LibraryThing and what it can do, check this Wikipedia article. Or just jump right in and browse through our newest books.

When you look at our LibaryThing catalog, don't overlook all the things you can do with it. It's a treasure chest of information about the book and other readers who own the book. There are all kinds of cool things you can do with our new book collection on LibraryThing, so explore and enjoy. If you see something you want to read, be sure to check the Richland College Library Catalog to make sure it's in before you trot over to the bricks and mortar.