Library Newsletter: Barcodes & Bookends

The 2016 Hostos Library Newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Hostos Wins Grant to Support Open Educational Resources 1 New Study Rooms Address Student Needs 1 Greetings from Madeline Ford, Chief Librarian 2 What’s New? Our Instruction Program! 2 Recommended Books for 2016 3 Information and the Election Event 4

New Librarian at Hostos Library: Welcome Linda Miles 8 Reminder: Download Your Hostos App! 6 NYC Museum Features 1976 “Save Hostos” Flyer 9 Escriba Wants Your Student’s Writing & Artwork! 10

NEW STUDY ROOMS ADDRESS NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

S

tudy rooms have been popular with library patrons for years, thanks to

their privacy, convenience and useful-

ness. In response to this demand, the

T

HOSTOS WINS GRANT TO SUPPORT OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

he high cost of textbooks and its impact on the financial well-being of students has long been a concern for educators. According to a study by Public Agenda, a nonprofit group that addresses

issues such as education, the typical full-time community

college student can expect to shell out about $1300 per year to buy textbooks. Students who don’t complete college are over 50 percent more likely than those who graduated to cite textbook costs as a major barrier.

Hostos is proud to announce it’s now a part of a CUNYwide and nation-wide Open Educational Resources (OER) Degree Initiative. The college is sharing a $300,000 grant providing free educational resources for the College’s Early -Childhood Education Associate Degree program.

As part of the CUNY OER Consortium, Hostos joins the Borough of Manhattan Community College and Bronx Community College in this endeavor. This generous grant is provided by Achieving the Dream, Inc, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping community college students, particularly low-income and those of color, stay in school and complete their education. ATD is involved with 38 colleges in 13 states. It partners with Lumen Learning, a com-

pany that provides technical assistance, and SRI International, which will evaluate the implementation. The Community College Consortium of Open Educational Resources Library has expanded the number of rooms

(CCCOER) will facilitate a community of practice.

tion, which formerly took up most of the space

enhance classroom curriculum. From Spring 2017 to Fall

available. Last summer, the Reference collecin the Information Learning Commons area (continued on page 7)

The funds will help ECE students save money as well as (continued on page 5)

Greetings and Happy Holidays!

As the Fall 2016 semester comes to a close, I am pleased to share with you some of the latest news about the Library.

This semester, we stopped offering regularly scheduled library workshops in favor of workshops tailored more to student and faculty needs. Hostos also received a grant to support faculty in their efforts to incorporate OERs (Open Resources) into their classrooms, thereby helping students save money on expensive textbooks. We also hosted a special event about the contentious Presidential election that encouraged faculty, students and staff to fact-check the assertions of both candidates and highlighted the importance of finding reliable and trustworthy resources. And we also welcomed Prof. Linda Miles, our newest librarian, to our Library family.

This has been a year of changes and upheavals but as always, the Library is here to help you with your academic or personal pursuits of knowledge. As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions regarding future research assignments and check out the wealth of resources that will support your learning, teaching, and research.

Happy Holidays!

T

NEW INSTRUCTION PROGRAM OFFERS MORE FLEXIBILITY AND CUSTOMIZATION

his semester, the Hostos

ment, and should request a work-

particular point in the research

new program for its

work in their class. In addition to

them (depending on the assign-

introductory research

getting students ready to tackled

ment, different types of sources

of Prof. Haruko Yamauchi, the

Yamauchi, “the new workshops

to take place when students were

tor, our workshops have been re-

cation core competencies, as well

dents a chance to analyze best

Library has instituted a

workshops. Under the supervision Library’s new teaching coordina-

shops to coincide with the relevant process, and learn strategies to find

specific assignments, says Prof.

will address Hostos’ general edu-

vamped in terms of content as well as encourage critical thinking as in scheduling, and replace the previous system of stand-alone

skills.”

were addressed). Others, scheduled in the writing process, gave stupractices for integrating others' words and ideas into one's own

The library has partnered with writing effectively, as well as

“open” workshops.

the English Department to offer

the new workshops will better

workshops as a pilot program this

support student learning by being

fall. Some of the initial workshops, rating with departmental faculty scheduled to take place when

to support students as they develop

assignment. Course professors are

students begin the research pro-

their skills as independent

share their sudent learning objec-

familiar with different kinds of

chi.

tives for research as well as the

resources for research, determine

Prof. Yamauchi explained that

tailored to a specific research

invited to contact the library to

details of thier particular assign-

these new introductory research

cess, helped students become

which would be most helpful at a

hands-on time to write and critique each other's work.

"We look forward to collabo-

researchers," added Prof. Yamau-

(continued on page 6)

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NEW AND NOTEWORTHY BOOKS

Becoming Nicole: the Transformation of an American Family (2015)

My Life on the Road (2015)

by Amy Ellis Nutt

Location: Stacks

Location: Stacks

HQ1413 .S675 A3 2015b

by Gloria Steinem

HQ77.95 .U6 N87 2015

In the Unlikely Event (2015)

by Judy Blume Location: Leisure Reading PS3552 .L843 I5 2015

MAD MEN: A Cultural History (2016)

by M. Keith Booker Location: Stacks PN1992.77 .M226 B66 2016

Ocean: a Photicular Book (2014)

Location: Juvenile Collection QL125.5 .O24 2014

Black Hollywood: From Butlers to Superheroes, the Changing Role of African-American Men in the Movies (2015) by Kimberly Fain Location: Stacks PN1995.9 .N4 F36 2015

Tyler Perry's America: Inside His Films (2015)

The Con Men: Hustling in New York City (2015)

by Shayne Lee

by Terry M. Williams

Location: Stacks

Location: Stacks

PN1998.3 .P4575 L44 2015

HV6795 .N5 W55 2015

Girl in Glass: How My "Distressed Baby" Defied the Odds, Shamed a CEO, and Taught Me the Essence of Love, Heartbreak, and Miracles (2015) by Deanna Fei Location: Stacks RJ253.5 .F45 2015

Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up (2016)

by Marie Kondo Location: Stacks TX309 .K6613 2016 3

“

INFORMATION LITERACY AND THE ELECTION EVENT

Who’s lying? Who’s telling

mock debate the day before. Prof.

the truth?” Faculty, stu-

Manuel Livingston, a member of

dents and staff who attend-

the Senate Committee, also imper-

ed the Library’s

sonated Trump by wearing a life-

“Information Literacy and the Elec-

like Halloween mask, which

tion” event on November 2, 2016 learned how to answer that quesPresident Gomez and Hillary Clinton (paper cutout)

number of useful websites. In addition, participants were invited to read “ElectionWatch”, a special Libguide created by Prof. Miriam Laskin, Reference Librarian.

To emphasize the importance of voting, participants were invited

to take selfies beside life-size cardtion. Taking place a week before

board cutouts of the two Presiden-

the election, the event encouraged

Prof. Kathleen Ronca

participants to fact-check the as-

proved to be a draw at the event.

sertions of Hillary Clinton and

Among those who stopped by were

Donald J. Trump by visiting rec-

President Gomez and Provost

ommended websites and other re-

Christine Mangino.

sources.

“With all this misinformation,

The event was held from 3-5

it’s important that we highlight

p.m. in the A-Atrium and was sponsored by Hostos Library and the Senate Library Committee.

trustworthy and nonpartisan reProfs. William Casari and Julio Figueroa

sources,” commented Prof. Jennifer Tang, the Chair of the Senate

Librarians recommended resources tial candidates. These items were

Library committee. “The

that could be found at the Library

provided via the generosity of Ms.

importance of information literacy

as well as online and attendees

Lizette Colon from the Counseling

has never been greater.”

were given a program listing a

Department, who had sponsored a 4

HOSTOS WINS GRANT TO SUPPORT OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (continued from the front page)

2018, Hostos faculty will receive

der an intellectual property license will encourage non-participating

support to replace traditional text- that permits their free use and re-

institutions to consider using OERs

books with Open Educational Re-

purposing by others. OERs include as well.

sources (OER) in at least one sec-

full courses, course materials,

tion for each required course and

modules, textbooks, streaming vid- will also encourage faculty to teach

several electives of the Early Child- eos, tests, software, and any other

Since OERs are online only, it students in more engaging and

hood Education degree program.

tools, materials, or techniques used technologically dynamic ways and

OER sections of existing courses

to support access to knowledge.

are also in the process of being

invite students to become more ac-

Not only will the initiative help tively involved in their own learn-

created, based on the same student approximately 500 enrolled stu-

ing. The initiative’s requirement to

-learning outcomes of existing

dents save 80 to 100 percent of the create entire degree programs

courses.

cost of textbooks over the next few using OER will also trigger a re-

By the end of Fall 2018, a stu-

years, OER offerings will reinvig-

examination of course content that

dent may be able to complete an

orate teaching and raise course

will build cutting edge cohesive

Associate's Degree in Early Child-

completion rates, according to

degree programs. At the comple-

hood Education by taking classes

Hostos Provost and Vice President

tion of the initiative, all approved

using only OERs as required texts.

for Academic Affairs Christine

OER courses will be available

By Spring 2019, the ECE program

Mangino. The grant funds will also through a comprehensive and ac-

will hopefully have at least one

help Hostos keep up with modern

OER section of each course availa- teaching strategies and technoloble to students.

“We hope to expand this Open

cessible online platform.

Studies have shown that Colleg-

gies. By using this reservoir of high es and states that introduced OER quality content customized to the

initiatives have seen positive re-

Educational Resources project to

way today’s students learn best, it

sults such as higher grades, higher

other degrees beyond the life of

will help advance the knowledge

course completion rates, and faster

this grant,” commented Madeline

of both students and faculty.

degree completion. For example,

Ford, Chief Librarian.

Tidewater Community College in Creating a Library of Open

Virginia was the first community

What are OERs?

Resources

college to adopt an OER degree

Open Educational Resources are

The OER Degree Initiative will also which enabled students to com-

teaching, learning, and research

create a library of high-quality,

plete a two-year degree in business

resources that reside in the public

digital, open courses available to

administration with no textbook

domain or have been released un-

other institutions and the public. It

(continued on next page) 5

costs. Tidewater’s “Z-Degree” pro- books. If this holds, students using gram has experienced high student OER would complete their degrees

nity of practice.

Profs. Ford and Jacqueline

satisfaction levels, improved stu-

a full year earlier for a 60 credit-

DiSanto, Education, are the con-

dent retention, and an estimated

hour degree.

tacts for this initiative. For info, go

25 percent reduction in college

to: http://www.hewlett.org/

costs for students. Northern

How the Initiative Will Work

programs/education/open-

Virginia Community College’s

ATD will help colleges make OER

educational-resources

pilot OER courses have increased

degrees critical elements of their

pass rates by nine percent com-

student success efforts. Lumen

Also, visit our OER Libguide: http://guides.hostos.cuny.edu/oer.

pared to non-OER courses. Anoth- Learning will provide technical

If you have any questions, please

er multi-school study found that

assistance, SRI International will

contact the guide's editors:

students using OER took an aver-

evaluate the implementation, and

Profs. Lisa Tappeiner, Rhonda

age fall semester credit load of

the Community College Consorti-

Johnson, or Madeline Ford.

13.3, compared to 11.1 credits for

um of Open Educational Resources

students using traditional text-

(CCCOER) will facilitate a commu-

REVAMPED INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (Continued from page 2)

To schedule a workshop, please contact Prof. Yamauchi at

HYamauchi@hostos.cuny.edu, or contact your departmental library liaison.

The list of liaisons can be found at http://commons.hostos.cuny.edu/ library/department-liaisons).

Either way, please contact the

librarian with at least two weeks' advance notice to allow for an appropriate workshop to be customized.

6

NEW STUDY ROOMS ADDRESS NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

(Continued from front page)

(ILC), was streamlined, freeing up

offered. These features were for-

areas could be installed. Designed

puters reserved in the Library for

in collaboration with the Accessi-

students with disabilities.

Technology and Campus Opera-

have Mac and Windows comput-

were designed specifically with the

a Smart TV, a 40-inch screen with

needs of disabled students in mind.

large text, while a CCTV (Closed

to bring services for disabled stu-

fier will allow students to see text

space so that two additional study

merly available only to two com-

bility Resource Center, Information

In the future, the rooms will

tions, the two new study rooms

ers. The first workstation will have

They also represent Hostos’ efforts st

Circuit television systems) magni-

dents into the 21 century.

Act (ADA),CUNY is among the

in large print.

out doors, so students in wheel-

working hard to integrate new

to be offered are noise reduction

chairs can fit through,” explained

technologies into facilities so that

headphones and Livescribe pens, in

Liaison to ARC. “They were built

tion to college.

over a sentence and have it read to

ommendations.”

nologies were developed with dis-

“They were constructed with-

Prof. Jorge Matos, the Library’s

according to ‘best practices’ recThe process to install these

thousands of colleges nationwide

Among the peripheral devices

disabled students can better transi- which users can take a pen, put it “Though these assistive tech-

you or printed out on a screen.

Lastly, these new doorless

abled students in mind, they can

rooms can be reserved for 3 hours

edge technologies began in Fall

ing,” added Prof. Matos. Not only

was offered for the Library’s other

2015, when Mr. Raymond Perez,

do these spaces offer more flexibil- study rooms.

rooms and equip them with cutting benefit all users to enhance learn-

the new director of ARC,

ity for disabled students, but all the

each, an extra hour beyond what

Funding for this technology is

approached the Library and Infor- PCs in the ILC area have been up-

currently being requested from the

mation Technology to talk about

the CUNY Strategic Technology

improving and updating accom-

graded with features such as

“zoom text” to help visually im-

modations for disabled students.

paired students. Dragon Natural-

of the Americans with Disabilities

recognition software, will also be

Institute for Accessibility.

Twenty five years after the passing lySpeaking, a popular speech

7

S

WECOME LINDA MILES, NEW LIBRARIAN AT HOSTOS LIBRARY

ay hello to our newest

agenda of reference and instruc-

librarian, Prof. Linda

tion librarians.”

Miles! She began August

She stressed that information

25, 2016 as Assistant

literacy encompasses a wide range

Professor/Reference Librarian.

of conceptual knowledge and skills

Born in Boulder, Colorado, Linda

beyond knowing where to click to

Michigan. Her research interests

“I really enjoy my job because I

grew up in a small town near Flint,

get peer-reviewed journal articles.

lie in the theater, as she graduated

can help students develop a nu-

from Hope College with a B.A. in Theatre and a Masters and Ph.D.

anced understanding of key issues to understand the differences be-

degree in Theatre History and Crit- tween types of resources and their

for the information age,” she said.

With the recent controversy over

icism from the University of Texas

uses in the research process. “I

at Austin. She has also worked

consider each reference interaction “fake” websites from “reputable”

with small, non-profit theatre

a mini-lesson—providing

ones, she believes that the role of

tin, Texas.

serve the student beyond the cur-

literacy is more essential than ever.

NYC and graduated with a Masters need,” she said. In addition, she is

challenging time to be a librarian,”

companies in Chicago and in Aus- knowledge and strategies that will Since 2000, she has lived in

rent assignment or information

students’ difficulties in identifying

librarians in teaching information “This is an exciting and also

in Library Science from St. John’s

contributing to a pilot project inte- she added. “I am particularly en-

ing grew out of a natural curiosity

shops into first year English cours- struction duties, and collaborating

encouraged by her teachers. “One

es. She has also taken on a number with other library faculty to deep-

University. Linda’s love for read-

grating information literacy work- thused about taking on more in-

of my middle school science teach- of new initiatives aimed at provid- en the information literacy proers kept posing the question, ‘What ing support for student learning

gram,” she said. “Understanding

if?’” she recalled. “What if that

how information is organized and

speck of dust is a miniature world with a miniature society thriving on it?”

She brings this curiosity to her

and increasing access to library resources.

“Instruction and reference li-

brarians can be key partners for

classroom faculty across the disci-

made accessible helps us help students, who are finding their way

among a dizzying array of infor-

mation sources—sometimes for the

position as Reference Librarian.

plines,” she said. “I’d like faculty to first time in their academic lives.”

working on specific research as-

ergy between the student learning

signments, helps them explore

agenda they develop for their

Linda assists students who are

their topics and encourages them

be more aware that there’s a syn-

courses and the student learning

8

A

NYC MUSEUM FEATURES 1976 “SAVE HOSTOS” FLYER

1976 flyer from the

1976.

Gerald Meyer “Save

In November 2016, the Museum

Hostos” Collection

of the City of New York unveiled

will be displayed in

the exhibit “New York at Its Core”

an upcoming exhibit at the

which covers four centuries of

Museum of the City of New York

New York City history. The

and featured in a new book about

museum’s website indicates that

the1970s fiscal crisis in New York

the exhibit was five years in the

City.

making and will present a compel-

The Emergency Financial

ling story of New York’s rise from

Control Board (EFCB) was formed

a striving Dutch village to today’s

in Fall 1975 to make difficult

preeminent global city. The EFCB

funding decisions regarding city

Flyer created by the Community Coalition to Save Hostos (CCSH)

expenses. Many measures were

headquarters of the Emergency Financial Control Board located at

taken to control spending,

Collection, Hostos Community College Archives and Special

including increasing subway fares

for the May 10, 1976 march that proceeded from El Barrio to the 56th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. Gerald J. Meyer Collections/The City University of New York

flyer will help document the fiscal crisis and highlight the unique role Hostos played in the local community.

and cutting the budget of the City

Gerald Meyer recalls that “the

New York University Professor

University of New York (CUNY).

CCSH targeted the banks and the

Kim Phillips-Fein, a historian of

One of the EFCB’s decisions was

EFCB as opposed to political sites

twentieth century American

to close Hostos Community

and individuals.”

politics, is the author of Fear City:

The New York City Fiscal Crisis

College and merge it with Bronx

Another Hostos group that

Community College. In response,

played an integral role in saving

and the Rise of the Age of Austerity,

Hostos Professor Ramon Jimenez

the college was the Save Hostos

scheduled for publication by Met-

formed the Community Coalition

Committee (SHC), chaired by

ropolitan Books in 2017. It will

to Save Hostos (CCSH).

Professor Meyer and supported

contain the EFCB flyer.

One of the coalition’s first

by six subcommittees including

William Casari, College Archi-

major actions was to hold a

letter writing and community

vist and Librarian, assisted with the

demonstration in front of the

outreach committees. Ultimately,

recovery of the 1975 flyer.

midtown headquarters of the

through actions of several

EFCB and put pressure on it to

community groups, clergy and

rescind the decision to close

the faculty, students and staff of

Hostos. Hostos Professor Emeritus

Hostos, the college was saved in

—Prof. William Casari

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STUDENTS, GET YOUR WORK PUBLISHED!

¡ESCRIBA!/ WRITE!

Visit http://commons.hostos.cuny.edu/escriba/2011/02/10/aboutus/ EACH YEAR WE PUBLISH YOUR WRITING AND ART. SUBMIT ANY TIME UP TO May 30, 2016.

Attach to an email to Prof. Miriam Laskin your writing (as a Word or RTF document), and art (in digital format), or

contact her with questions. All the information you need about ¡Escriba! is on the website, as well as previous issues to look at or print out.

Prof. Miriam Laskin, Hostos Library Editor of Escirba!/Write!

Room A213H in the Library

(718) 518-4207 office phone

mlaskin@hostos.cuny.edu

Hostos Immigrant Voices: a special issue of ¡Escriba!/Write!

Attention students: submit essays, poetry, fiction, artwork, or memoir to this special themed issue of ¡Escriba! celebrating the lives and stories of immigrants.

Tell us your stories and let your voices be heard!

Please submit your work in Word or RTF (art in .JPG format) to Prof. Miriam Laskin at mlaskin@hostos.cuny.edu.

Deadline for submission is March 17, 2017 Expected date of publication is May 2017

Barcodes and Bookends Editor-in-Chief

Hostos Community College Library

Jennifer Tang, Assistant Professor

475 Grand Concourse

Layout Advisor

Bronx, NY 10451

Madeline Ford, Chief Librarian

http://commons.hostos.cuny.edu/library/

Useful Numbers:

Library Hours

Circulation: (718) 518 4222 Archives: (718) 518 4220

Mon-Thurs 9am-9pm

Fri 9am-5pm** Sat and Sun 12-5 p.m.**

A/V Office: (718) 518 4225

This schedule is subject to change—please check the Hostos

Instruction: (718) 518 4207

library web site for the latest updates**

Reference: (718) 518 4215 Reserves: (718) 518 4224

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