De-Stress Fest

Are you feeling stressed due to final exams? Kimbel Library will help you relax at De-Stress Fest, from Thursday, December 5th through Thursday, December 12th. In addition to daily games, puzzles, coloring and late night snacks, you can relax at our “beach” and make your own stress ball during Hang Loose Day on Friday, December 6th.

You can also purchase snacks and beverages at Starbucks, now open and located on the first floor by the Spadoni Park entrance of Kimbel Library. Starbucks is holding extended hours during finals:
Friday, Dec. 6                    7 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Saturday, Dec. 7               10 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Sunday, Dec. 8                  10 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Monday, Dec. 9                7 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 10              7 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Finally, study smart:

1. Never leave your items unattended in the library, especially during this busy time of year.

2. Remember to save and backup all of your work.

3. Ask a Librarian! If you need help with any final research, ask a librarian for help. We’re here if you need us! 

Study Tips

Start strong! 
Get together everything you need to study: notes, syllabus, class readings, quizzes, tests, and homework.

•  Remove distractions. Turn off your phone or set it to silent during study sessions, and only use it during planned breaks; treat your email and texting the same way.  

•  Ask yourself questions about the material while you are reviewing. This helps you remember more than just rereading. Suggested questions to consider: How does this information fit in with other class material? What are the main points of what I just read? Why did this event happen? What would happen if one event or fact was different?

•  Take short, frequent breaks: Study for 25 mins, then take a 5 min break (see more about this method). After 4 sets, take a 15-20 minute longer break before diving back in. Need something to break up your study time? Try making a stress ball or participate in another De-stress Fest activity in Kimbel Library. 

•  When working in groups, don’t get distracted or off-topic. Everyone’s time is important.

Take care of yourself

•  Get some sleep! Cramming may help you review more material, but it doesn’t make up for sleepiness during the time you should be most alert—during your exams!

•  Eat regularly-- now is not the time to forget meals. A mix of protein, carbs, and good fat will keep you fueled and keep your mind off your stomach while you work.

Thanksgiving Break Hours

Sunday, November 24: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Monday, November 25: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Tuesday, November 26: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Wednesday, November 27: 8:00 AM - NOON

Thursday, November 28: CLOSED

Friday, November 29: CLOSED

Saturday, November 30: CLOSED

National Novel Writing Month

November is National Novel Writing Month. Over 200,000 people will begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000 word novel by 11:59pm on November 30th. Did you dream of being a writer when you were little? Do you have a story you need to tell? Since 2006, over 100 National Novel Writing Month novels have been released by publishing houses including Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Join the NaNoWriMo community, track your progress, get pep talks, meet fellow writers and write your novel this month. For more information, check out nanowrimo.org.

Starbucks Brewing Soon...

"Coffee is a language in itself" - Jackie Chan

Nothing is more critical during exam week than a cup of coffee. That's why it's great news that Starbucks will be opening soon inside of the Kimbel Library & Bryan Information Commons! Starbucks will offer patrons brewed coffee selections along with many other delectable treats. Due to construction, the library entrance facing Spadoni circle is closed, so please use the glass doors at the Bryan Commons to enter and exit the building. Once Starbucks opens, the rear entrance will be open again during Starbucks' operating hours.

Homeland Security Digital Library

Brought to you by the United States government and Kimbel Library, the CCU community now has access to the full version of the Homeland Security Digital Library, a free resource available to federal depository libraries only.

The Homeland Security Digital Library includes policy and strategy documents, key legislation, executive orders, theses and dissertations and critical release documents in homeland security. Critical release documents are generated twice a month and target documents of particular interest or potential importance.

To make searching easy (and fun!), the featured topics section groups documents by issues that are particularly relevant, such as: 

• Sea piracy

• School violence

• Gangs

• Border security

• Social media use in emergencies

• Maritime domain

• Hurricanes

• Climate change

• Cybercrime

• Domestic terrorism (several collections)

The topical documents on hurricanes, for example, include reports on famous hurricanes, how risk perceptions influence evacuations and preparation, disaster recovery from Sandy, a storm mapping tutorial using GIS and lessons learned from Katrina.

The Illustrated London News & Daily Mail

Illustrated London News Historical Archive 1842-2003

Full-text archive of the “world’s first pictorial weekly newspaper,” based in London, the coverage is international in scope. If it made the news, it was in ILN with illustrations. Get a first-hand look at the sinking of the Titanic, the siege at Mafeking, and the coronations of three British kings and a queen, among the thousands of stories covered. Articles and pictures can be downloaded or printed for use in reports and presentations.

"Aboard the Rescue-Ship: 'Titanic' Survivors on the 'Carpathia'." Illustrated London News [London, England] 4 May 1912: 667. Illustrated London News. Web. 6 Oct. 2013.]

Daily Mail Historical Archive 1896-2004

The first newspaper to be written for the average man on the street, the Daily Mail was inexpensive and comprehensive. As a counterpart to the establishment’s Times of London, the Daily Mail provides a window in the world of contemporary controversies and a unique perspective on the development of journalism in the 20th century.

“The Whole Story”. Daily Mail (London, England), Saturday, April 20, 1912; pg. 5; Issue 5004.