National Hispanic Heritage Month - Mes de la Herencia Hispana

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanic Heritage Month, with roots going back to 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson, was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. The commemoration was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402. September 15 is significant because it is Independence Day (1821) for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The month includes Mexico's Independence Day, Diez y Seis de Septiembre, September 16, Chile's, September 18, and Día de la Raza on October 12.

The 2015 theme for National Hispanic Heritage Month chosen by National Hispanic Heritage Month is Honoring Our Heritage. Building Our Future, while the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) announced its 2015 theme as Powering Growth and Influence - Promoviendo El Crecimiento y La Influencia.

HISPANIC HERITAGE IN THE UNITED STATES - INTERNET RESOURCES

U.S. Census Bureau. Facts for Features: Hispanic Heritage Month 2015 provides statistical information and a poster.

The Library of Congress launched an online selection of recordings from its Archive of Hispanic Literature on Tape, a series of audio recordings of renowned poets and prose writers from the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States reading from their work in their native languages. Fifty recordings are currently available.

San Antonio's Hispanic Heritage Center of Texas (HHCTX) advocates for the Hispanic legacy by ensuring the stories of Texas’ first pioneers, in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, are chronicled in Texas history.

Hispanic Texans: Journey from Empire to Democracy is a 51-page PDF guide from the Texas Historical Commission for heritage travelers. It features sites in ten heritage trail regions of the state. The guide can be downloaded to a smartphone for use on trips.

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) will hold its 28th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards program on September 17, 2015 in Washington, D.C. The Hispanic Heritage Awards were established in 1987 by the White House and "are considered the highest honor for Latinos by Latinos."

11 facts for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Krogstad, J.M. (2014, September 16). Pew Research Center. This site provides a current snapshot of the Hispanic/Latino population.

¡Del Corazon! Latino Voices in American Art. Smithsonian American Art Museum
Photographs, videos, and other resources are collected here to introduce Latino artists and their works.

Related Library Holdings

Stavans, Ilan, and Jorge J. E. Gracia. Thirteen Ways of Looking at Latino Art.
N6502.5 .S73 2014 SAC - South Austin Campus Library

Ramos, E. Carmen. Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art.
N6538.H58 S65 2014 HLC and SAC

Hispanic Americans in Congress
"This Web site, based on the book Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822–2012, contains biographical profiles of former Hispanic Members of Congress, links to information about current Hispanic Members, essays on the institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of Hispanic Members of Congress, and images of each individual Member, including rare photos."

This PBS video “is the first major documentary series for television to chronicle the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos, who have helped shape North America over the last 500-plus years and have become, with more than 50 million people, the largest minority group in the U.S.” The program aired September 17, 2013 on PBS. Full episodes (about 55 minutes each) can be viewed online. See related PBS programming for Hispanic Heritage Month.

SELECTIONS FROM ACC LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

HISTORY AND CULTURE

Baugh, Scott L. Latino American Cinema: An Encyclopedia of Movies, Stars, Concepts, and Trends.
PN1995.9.L37 B38 2012 SAC - South Austin Campus Library

Candelaria, Cordelia Chávez, ed. Encyclopedia of Latino Popular Culture.
E184.S75 E59 2004 Cypress Creek, Elgin, Eastview, Hays, Northridge, Riverside, and South Austin campus libraries

Herrera-Sobek, María, ed. Celebrating Latino Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions.
E184.S75 C455 2012 Elgin, Highland, Hays, and South Austin campus libraries
E184.S75 C455 2012 ebk Gale Virtual Reference Library


Leonard, David J. and Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo, eds. Latino History and Culture: An Encyclopedia. E184.S75 L3622 2010 Cypress Creek, Elgin, Hays, Pinnacle, Rio Grande, Round Rock, and Riverside campus libraries
Montilla, Patricia M., ed. Latinos and American Popular Culture.
E184.S75 L3674 2013 HLC - Highland Campus Library

Oboler, Suzanne and Deena J. González, eds. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States.
E184.S75 O97 2005 Northridge, Rio Grande, Round Rock, and South Austin campus libraries.
E184.S75 O97 2005 ebk Oxford Reference Online

Ruiz, Vicki L. and Virginia Sánchez Korrol, eds. Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia.
E184.S75 L35 2006 South Austin Campus Library

Stavans, Ilan, ed. Encyclopedia Latina: History, Culture, and Society in the United States.
E184.S75 E587 2005 Eastview, Northridge, Round Rock, Riverside, and South Austin campus libraries.

Tatum, Charles M., ed. Encyclopedia of Latino Culture: From Calaveras to Quinceaneras.
E184.S75 E588 2013 RVS and SAC
E184.S75 E588 2014 ebk Gale Virtual Reference Library

LITERATURE

Kanellos, Nicolas, ed. The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Latino Literature.
PS153.H56 G74 2008 Elgin and Round Rock campus libraries

Ramirez, Luz Elena. Encyclopedia of Hispanic American Literature.
PS153.H56 R36 2008 Elgin and Round Rock campus libraries

Stavans, Ilan, ed. The Norton Anthology of Latino literature. PS508.H57 N65 2011 HLC - Highland Campus Library

MUSIC - STREAMING MEDIA

Latin Music U.S.A. Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2009. "Latin music today has deeper roots and broader reach than most people realize, owing to fusions of Latin sounds with jazz, rock, country, and rhythm & blues. This four-part documentary invites viewers into the vibrant musical conversation between the Latinos and non-Latinos that

have helped shape the history of the United States. It’s a fresh take on the origins of one of America’s most popular music genres, told by an extraordinary range of artists, including Marc Anthony, Carlos Santana, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Ricky Martin, Linda Ronstadt, and more. The program reaches across five decades to portray the rich mix of sounds created by Latinos and embraced by all. Narrated by acclaimed actor Jimmy Smits. Distributed by PBS Distribution." Each part is about 60 minutes in length.

EBSCO Discovery Service

EBSCO Discovery Search has a Google-like interface that provides quick access to resources in the ACC Library collection.  Not all of the library's resources can be accessed through the discovery service, but the vast majority can be. With this tool you can concurrently search the library catalog and library databases. 

Your result list may contain many different types of resources.  Each type has a unique icon to identify it.

SEARCHING

If you are just starting your search and are not sure what kinds of resources you might want to use, you can begin a discovery search by entering your keywords in the “FIND BOOKS, ARTICLES, VIDEOS” search box.  

For a known-item search, you will want to use a specific resource.  

If you know the title or the author of a book, if you are looking for material your professor has placed on reserve, or if you want a book, video, or other catalog item, select the Library Catalog Only button below the discovery search box.  

If your assignment requires use of a specific database, select the A-Z List of All Databases button, which will take you to a page where you can choose databases by title or by subject.  

The discovery search box performs a Basic Search.  Try to make your initial keyword search as precise as possible by using Boolean operators (AND, OR) or phrases (in quotation marks). Think about synonyms for your keywords and other meanings of your terms.  For instance, a "drone" can be an insect or an aircraft. Be as specific as possible.

REFINING YOUR SEARCH

You will find the number of items retrieved indicated at the top of your Result List like this:  Search Results: 1 - 20 of 8,406

Sometimes you will find a Research Starter at the top of your Result List.  Research Starters are Wikipedia-like 500- to 1,500-word summaries. They provide an overview of your topic, link to other Research Starter summaries, or to other works where you can delve deeper into your topic. Some professors may not consider Research Starters a type of source appropriate for citing in college-level papers, but the overview and links can help you focus your research.

To limit the number of results from a discovery search, try the Search Options or Advanced Search features. 

To use Search Options, just click Search at the discovery search box, then click on Basic Search on the next screen.  Click Search Options on the following screen and enter your keywords in the search box. 

You can then select items from the Search Options menu to limit or expand your search.

 
There are several ways to refine your search after generating a Result List.  

Click on the X icon to remove an item from Current Search and refresh your search results.

 





Apply limiters under Limit To or use options such as Source Types, Subject, Location, etc.--all found in the left column.  Click the "Show More" link when displayed to view all available options.

 

You can type in a Publication Date or move the date range slider to focus on specific years. Press Enter if your search results do not update right away. 

When refining your search results using limiters and other options, each item is added to Current Search at the top of the left hand column. 

You can add another term and restart your search or you can click on one of the subject links for an item in your Result List.  

You can sort your results by date.  The default sort is by Relevance--most closely matched to your search terms--but you may want to choose Date Newest or Date Oldest, depending on the direction of your research.

Review the items in your Result List and look at the abstracts (summaries) and subject headings. View the detailed records of items in your Result List by clicking on item titles. Hold your mouse over the preview icon (magnifying glass) to reveal a brief version of the record.  You can preview the Most Relevant Pages from an eBook. 
 

As you look over your results, you can collect items you think will be most useful and place them in a folder.  Just click the folder icon next to each item's title.

If you email yourself the folder contents, you can select a citation format from a drop down menu.  The computer will format citations for all items in your folder.  (Be sure to edit these computer-generated citations for accuracy.)

What are the advantages of using the EBSCO Discovery Service rather than searching a specific database or the library catalog directly? 

• You can start big, then dig deep. A large result set, sorted by relevance, may have some good results on the first couple of pages.

• Serendipity starts here. Find materials you might not have found otherwise, from resources you hadn’t considered using.

• You don’t have to know where to look or which database to choose from a list of a hundred or more of them. The discovery search should select the most relevant resources.

• Oftentimes, one search will find more than enough good resources for your assignment.

Librarians are always available to assist with your searches.  Just ask!

New to ACC? Checkout the Student Learning Success Toolbox!

Start Here-Get There!

Are you new to Austin Community College? Checkout the ACC Libraries Student Learning Success Toolbox- complete with all you need for getting started. Available 24/7 from the ACC Library home page, this Toolbox is packed with great tools and links to help you get started this semester.
Answer frequently asked questions such as:

How do I manage my job, kids and my courses at ACC? 

How do I learn how to research the way the professor said in class?

How do I find peer-reviewed journals?

Where can I get help for one of my assignments?

Did your professor ask you to pick a topic for a paper? Try our short tutorial Choosing a Topic and learn how to choose the best topic for your assignment.

Were you assigned to write about an unfamiliar topic? Try our short tutorial Finding Background Information and learn more so that you can get started on your assignment.

Need more assistance? Ask a research expert- any librarian at Austin Community College! You can walk into any campus library to get help, call or email us. We even offer help after hours - chat 24/7!

Don't be shy- we love to help students with your questions! Come by and see us today!

Graphic Novels

In August of 1962,  Stan Lee and Steve Ditko introduced:

This new superhero debuted in Issue #15 of Amazing Fantasy. The arachnid crime fighter got his own comic book in March of 1963 and quickly became the center of a multimedia empire.                 Chase's Calendar of Events 2015, pp 391

Originally known as comic books, these popular publications have entertained all ages for many years, only now they have expanded into a fairly new genre called  Graphic Novels. Visit an  ACC campus library and check out one of these:

         

      

Graphic novels are not limited to only superheroes:

                                           

                                   

Graphic novels have become serious business. If you are wondering about the research into their educational benefits, read these articles in our databases:

Critical Survey of Graphic Novels; History, Theme, & Techniques

     ebook, Salem Press

Understanding Visual Metaphors: What Graphic Novels Can Teach Lawyers About Visual Storytelling  

     EBSCO, Drake Law Review

Using Historical Graphic Novels in High School History Classes: Potential for Contextualization, Sourcing, and Corroborating

     EBSCO, History Teacher

How Graphic Novels Became the Hottest Section in the Library

     Literary Reference Center, Publishers Weekly

Are you interested in creating graphic novels? Try these:

    

Library Group Study Rooms

ACC Faculty often assign group projects to their classes but sometimes, students then have difficulties finding a location to work together in a ‘clean, well lighted place’, with technology available to support your learning.

Where to go?
These ACC libraries have group study rooms available for currently enrolled ACC students studying together:

Cypress (CYP), Elgin (EGN), Eastview (EVC), Hays (HYS), Northridge (NRG), Rio Grande (RGC), Round Rock (RRC), Riverside (RVS), and South Austin (SAC).  At this time, the PIN library does not have a group study room.

Highland Campus (HLC) has group study rooms available, but they are located in the ACCelerator (across from the Library). Show your ACC ID and ask about availability at the ACCelerator’s service desk.

For Library Group Study Rooms: 

• Come to a library’s Reference Desk in person and show the librarian your ACC ID card.
• Slots are available from 30 minutes to 2 hours, and depending on availability, at the end of your reservation you may be able to extend the time.
• Reservations are accepted up to 7 days in advance, but be sure to arrive punctually -- if you’re more than 10 minutes late, your group forfeits the reservation!

Use the white board or check out laptops at a Library’s Circulation Desk so group members can collaborate via Google docs, view media, review Blackboard materials, print documents, etc.  In a few study rooms you can connect your laptop to a projector or flat screen for group work!

 ‘Group study’ means just that – 2 or more currently enrolled ACC students – these are not ‘individual study rooms’. 

The study rooms may not be used for tutoring, meetings of organizations, or for faculty to meet with students. Please see complete rules about the study rooms.

Sign-up, meet your group, and be successful with that project or ace that test!
Would you like more info? Need other locations to study on your campus? Are you stuck getting started researching your topic?  Ask a librarian! We’re here to help you.

On the Boards TV

On the Boards TV is an exciting new streaming video collection that we’re pleased to make available to ACC students, faculty, and staff. What makes On the Boards TV different from our educational video platforms like Films on Demand is its exclusive focus on theater, dance, and music. This isn’t an ordinary collection of dry educational documentaries about playwrights and musicians, but a high-quality collection of beautifully photographed performance films.

On the Boards TV specializes in capturing a live performance so painstakingly that you would swear that you were present in the audience. How do they do it? Every play, dance, or performance piece is shot with as many as five HD cameras from vantage points throughout the performance space. The performers often serve as consultants during the editing process to help assemble videos that capture all of the nuances and highlights of the live performance.

What types of performance films will you find here? Right now, On the Boards includes about 40 classical, contemporary, and experimental plays, dance performances, and installation pieces by small cutting edge groups from around the world. The videos were captured during live performances in Portland’s On the Boards theater, as well as in other performance spaces in New York and Austin, TX. The collection keeps growing. On the Boards will continue to add new films throughout the year. 

The best way to sample On the Boards TV is to stop by and browse films by categories such as dance, theater, and music. (You can find On the Boards TV or any of our online resources by visiting Databases A-Z.) You’ll find eclectic, cutting edge performances such as Beth Gill’s colorful dance piece Electric Midwife, which is typically performed for an audience of about 14 people. Now you can be a part of that audience, and you can watch whenever and wherever you like, even on your mobile device. If you’re off campus, just be prepared to sign in with your ACC eID and password. Then get ready to take a front seat.