Does math scare you?

The enemy: math anxiety
The weapon: CHOCOLATE
The killing field: Periodicals Room, Library
When: February 20 at College Hour (12:20 to 1:15 p.m.)



Come to the library to slay math anxiety by using chocolate! We have

• chocolate goodies
• coffee
• puzzles (no math knowledge required -- how cool is that?)
• prizes for those who complete a puzzle
• information about how to fight math anxiety

Join us and have some fun!

We're rolling now!

The semester is in full swing, and everyone is so busy! Now that papers are being assigned, you might need a few resources, and we have the books for you! Check out some of these:

Greetings, students in Professor Pincus's history class. Need a book for your book review? May we suggest:

• Lessons in Disaster: McGeorge Bundy and the Path to War in Vietnam by Gordon Goldstein
• Framing the Black Panthers: The Spectacular Rise of a Black Power Icon by Jane Rhodes
• Lynching to Belong: Claiming Whiteness through Racial Violence by Cynthia Nevels

For those in early American Literature looking for a topic, try: Herman Melville: an Introduction by Wyn Kelley

The economy has and is struggling. Given the impact this has on your future job prospects, knowing as much about it as possible might help. Try:

• Panic: The Story of Modern Financial Insanity by Michael Lewis
• High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families by Peter Gosselin

For you science buffs, try Why Size Matters: From Bacteria to Blue Whales by John Tyler Bonner.

Don't let too much homework keep you away from your family and friends, it's bad for you! Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection by John T. Cacioppo

More wonderful books can be found through the catalog or on the new books list. Stop on by and check out a few! And remember, if you need help with research (and these books don't fit the bill), we'll be glad to help.

New books for a new semester!

Can you believe it's already the second week of classes? How time flies when you're busy! To commemorate the beginning of the semester, we have a great group of new books for your edification and pleasure. Some of our newest gems are listed below.

Hey, it might not be Halloween, but that's no reason to skip The Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts by Owen Davies.

Everyone gets down in the dumps every once in a while. Learn the art of true happiness in Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth by Ed Diener.

This amazing feat of artistic prowess was meant for a tomb. Check out The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army by Jane Portal.

January is new year's resolution time and getting fit is often at the top of one's list. Try The Trails of Virginia: Hiking the Old Dominion by Allen De Hart.

This seems like good advice, don't you think? The PITA Principle: How to Work With and Avoid Becoming a Pain in the Ass by Robert Orndoff.

Nice guys finish last. Not according to Leading with Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior Results by William F. Baker.

Here's something everyone should understand, whether you are a student, faculty or staff member: Understanding and Preventing Campus Violence by Michele Antoinette Paludi.

If you are in Richmond, check out the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and take this book along with you: Selections from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by Anne B. Barriault.

Learn about the most expensive bottle of wine ever made in The billionaire's vinegar: the mystery of the world's most expensive bottle of wine by Benjamin Wallace.

If you're interested in the history of photography, then this book is for you: Photography--1900 to the Present by Diana Emery Hulick.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want more, our entire new books list can be found here, or search the catalog for additional great reads. See you in the library soon!

Closed tomorrow!

Just a reminder -- the library is closed tomorrow, Saturday, January 21. We will reopen on Monday at 8 a.m. Have a great weekend!

Love Your Library! Video Contest Winner

Congratulations to Thomas Cudé, the Love Your Library! video contest winner. Thomas's wonderful video, titled "Path of a Student," demonstrates how the library can help you with papers and other other assignments. Music is provided by the orchestra, Two Steps from Hell.

The library would also like to thank the other participants for a job well done. Special thanks goes to Theodore Pappas who earned an honorable mention for his entry.

Enjoy! And remember, when you need to tame that beast, just come see us!

Happy Holidays from the Library!

We believe that there's no greater gift than a book. So give a gift to yourself this holiday season by checking out one or two. And remember, you'll have tons of free time over break. Don't let work, family and other obligations keep you from a good book!

May we suggest the following?

Starbucks can help with more than just a caffeine fix in How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else by Michael Gill.

Not every disaster is natural according to The End: Natural Disasters, Manmade Catastrophes, and the Future of Human Survival by Marq De Villiers.

The holidays can be a lonely, sad time for some. Learn how loneliness affects your health and how to overcome this cultural phenomenon in The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-First Century by Jacqueline Olds.

Correlations? Data sets? Do numbers ever lie? They do according to Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and Activists by Joel Best.

Rap: the new Shakespeare. Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip Hop by Adam Bradley

Graffiti as high art? Yes, according to Street Art: The Graffiti Revolution by Cedar Lewisohn.

The effects of photosynthesis are far-reaching in Eating the Sun: How Plants Power the Planet by Oliver Morton.

There's a whole other story to fruit according to The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession by Adam Gollner.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. We, of course, have many, many more. Consider stopping by before Christmas break to check out a few. Remember, we are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday between semesters. The College will be closed from Saturday, December 23, 2011 through Monday, January 2, 2012.

Stay safe and warm, and happy holidays!