Posts

Showing posts from August, 2009

What I'm Reading Now...

Image
“Microtrends, Under the Microscope," a review by Katie Smith, Academic Advisor Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes by Mark J. Penn For people drawn to both macro- and micro-sociological and societal trends, this book is a definite must-read. Penn describes "microtrends" as phenomena that catch on with one percent or more of the American population, (or at least three million people). Basically, microtrends are small, but potentially powerful and influential social movements. Each chapter covers a different microtrend in the US, and some of my favorites describe the increase in teenagers who knit, individual over team sports, commuter marriages and pet ownership. As a reader, I recognized aspects of myself and my own lifestyle reflected in several microtrends. More telling, Penn explains, is the impact that these small movements can have on the political and business climate in the US through their powerful effect on voting and consumer tre

Before school gets too crazy

Image
Welcome back! Before your assignments make you forget what reading for fun is all about, let me draw your attention to some of the fun "eye candy" we have for you. Our catalog has more than 40 titles using the words "comic books" or "comic strips" or "graphic novels" in the description. Some of these books are graphic novels like Aya and Persepolis . Some are only available online, like Hackerteen , Vol. 1 . (You'll need to prove you're affiliated with PVCC to open the link--log in with your MyPVCC username and password.) Others are books about the art of creating these types of books. For example, there's Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels . And then there are books for people who would like to create their own comics or graphic novels. Our most recent purchase in that category is Drawing Words & Writing Pictures: Making Comics: Manga, Graphic Novels and Beyond . And there's even a serie

What I'm Reading Now...

Image
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan Never has a book so altered my life's choices as this one. That may sound dramatic, especially considering the title, but it's true. Recently, I have been inspired by all things natural and organic. Basically, I have been inspired to return to a simpler life with less-processed foods; a return to whole foods. (And no, I'm not talking about the store.) In Defense of Food is a treatise written by Michael Pollan on the benefits of food and eating. One may wonder why either of these things would need explicating or defending, but in a world of processed, food-like substances and food industry lobbyists, it is wholly necessary. Pollan basically argues three things: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants" (1). He goes on to describe what each of those tenets mean to the average person fighting his/her way through the grocery aisles in search of what to have for dinner. Along the way he introduces and discusses ideologies like nutri

Meet the Jessup Library Staff

Image
Hello, my name is Linda Cahill, and I am the Coordinator of Library Services at PVCC. I have been in the Jessup Library since 1992 and have observed many changes in library services and resources during this time. In my position, I oversee and coordinate library activities and services for all students, faculty and staff at all college locations. My background includes library work in public, college and special libraries. My undergraduate degree is from Columbia College (Columbia, SC) and my master’s degree is from The University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). I love the community college environment, helping students use the library and locating materials to support their research. Our mission is to make your library experience successful and enjoyable at the same time. If you have questions about library services or resources, please let us know. I am currently reading classic novels that somehow escaped my earlier reading lists. I love non-fiction, how-to-do-it-yourself and garden