Attention Campus Book Clubs!!

Nearing the end of your summer reading list or maybe looking for a good book to spark some productive conversations? The Library maintains so many books, audiobooks and eBooks that readers are able to consume their reading in so many platforms! Here are some socially conscious books that we think you might like and will help continue our social justice education. Enjoy!

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D.

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff and faculty 
• Print book in NHTI collection- E185.625 .T38 2003

Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about enabling communication across racial and ethnic divides. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of race in America.

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff, and faculty
• Print book in NHTI collection- HT1521 .D486 2018

In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff, and faculty
• Print book in NHTI collection- E184.A1 K344 2019

Antiracism is a transformative concept that reorients and reenergizes the conversation about racism—and, even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. At its core, racism is a powerful system that creates false hierarchies of human value; its warped logic extends beyond race, from the way we regard people of different ethnicities or skin colors to the way we treat people of different sexes, gender identities, and body types. Racism intersects with class and culture and geography and even changes the way we see and value ourselves. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas—from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities—that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.

Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

• Free access to eBook for NHTI students, staff, and faculty
• Audiobook in NHTI collection- AUDB E184.A1 O48 2018

Widespread reporting on aspects of white supremacy--from police brutality to the mass incarceration of Black Americans--has put a media spotlight on racism in our society. Still, it is a difficult subject to talk about. How do you tell your roommate her jokes are racist? Why did your sister-in-law take umbrage when you asked to touch her hair--and how do you make it right? How do you explain white privilege to your white, privileged friend?

In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life.

Day Trips in New Hampshire

During this trying time, with the requirement for social distancing and limiting contact with strangers, it’s easy to start feeling housebound and restless. Fortunately, New Hampshire offers possibilities not available in many areas of the country. The natural beauty that surrounds us, whether it be forested mountains, scenic highways, clear, blue lakes, hiking trails, rushing rivers, or the view of the sea, allows us to get out and enjoy a few hours from home, but still allows us to return by the end of a day.

NHTI Boat Launch 

If you just like to drive or ride in a car along scenic roads and highways, New Hampshire has an endless variety for you to choose. There are Routes 10 and 12A that run along the Connecticut River valley; Route 9 from Concord to Keene to Brattleboro; Route 302 from Conway to Carroll; and of course, the Kancamagus Highway from Lincoln to Conway. All along these routes are quaint towns, valley vistas, and mountain views.

Or, if you’ve always wanted to see all the covered bridges in the state, you might go to Visit New England - New Hampshire and map out your plan of attack.

View from Mount Israel

If you prefer more strenuous activity, most of New Hampshire’s hiking trails are still open. While you may have to take along a face mask, and try not to intrude on other hikers’ space, you should still be able to enjoy the summer outdoors. The number of possible trails is almost endless, but this might be the time to avoid Mount Major or Cannon Cliff. Take the time to explore new sites such as West Rattlesnake Mountain off of NH-113 or Smarts Brook off of NH-49.

If you would like to go the beach to cool off, New Hampshire ocean and lake beaches are open, with restrictions. Go to the New Hampshire State Park's website to read the latest on how to apply for a reservation and what rules to follow when you get there. It sounds like they’ve done their best to provide access to our beautiful lakes and the inviting ocean.

However you want to do it, New Hampshire still gives you choices on how to get out and feel free again, while remaining as safe as possible during the pandemic. If you’d like more ideas and information, try Visit NH or look at the following electronic resources on the Library’s website:

• In EBSCOhost, you can find the eBook, Deep Travel: In Thoreau’s Wake on the Concord and Merrimack, by David K. Leff
• County Roads of New Hampshire: Drives, Day Trips and Weekend Excursions, by Steve Sherman
• Natural Wonders of New Hampshire: Exploring Wild and Scenic Places, by Suki Casanave.

Picture Books and Bibliotherapy

by Claudia Wason

I have a confession to make – I love picture books! I have been known to check out picture books from the Library, even during times without young children or grandchildren in my life. Most book lovers can trace their love of reading back to the pages of picture books.

In addition to helping develop a love of reading, comfort can be found within the pages of books in the form of bibliotherapy*. For children, picture books can help them to make sense of a confusing and sometimes scary world. The right books can help nurture tolerance, acceptance, and understanding.

The Library has a great collection of picture books.

Don't Touch My Hair!  by Sharee Miller

Summary: “Aria loves her soft and bouncy hair, but must go to extremes to avoid people who touch it without permission until, finally, she speaks up. Includes author's note.”

Great book for opening up discussions about respecting personal space and boundaries, as well as race.




Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

Summary: “A nervous Splat finds his first day at Cat School much better than he expected.”

Is it just me or do we ever really outgrow the curious mixture of excitement and anxiety about the first day of school?

Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears

Summary: “Ian, who is autistic, takes a walk with his sisters and demonstrates how he sees, hears, smells, and tastes things differently.”

Great selection to foster understanding and open discussions about differences. This book features beautiful, realistic illustrations.




With over 1,000 picture books in the Library collection, there is sure to be something to share with you children, grandchildren, or to read on your own. If you are not convinced about the joys of reading picture books, the Library has books to help convince you otherwise. Happy reading!

Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult by Bruce Handy

Summary: "An irresistible, nostalgic, and insightful--and totally original--ramble through classic children's literature from Vanity Fair contributing editor (and father) Bruce Handy. In 1690, the dour New England Primer, thought to be the first American children's book, was published in Boston. Offering children gems of advice such as "Strive to learn" and "Be not a dunce," it was no fun at all. So how did we get from there to "Let the wild rumpus start"? And now that we're living in a golden age of children's literature, what can adults get out of reading Where the Wild Things Are and Goodnight Moon, or Charlotte's Web and Little House on the Prairie? In Wild Things, Vanity Fair contributing editor Bruce Handy revisits the classics of every American childhood, from fairy tales to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and explores the back stories of their creators, using context and biography to understand how some of the most insightful, creative, and witty authors and illustrators of their times created their often deeply personal masterpieces. Along the way, Handy learns what The Cat in the Hat says about anarchy and absentee parenting, which themes are shared by The Runaway Bunny and Portnoy's Complaint, and why Ramona Quimby is as true an American icon as Tom Sawyer or Jay Gatsby. It's a profound, eye-opening experience to reencounter books that you once treasured after decades apart. A clear-eyed love letter to the greatest children's books and authors from Louisa May Alcott and L. Frank Baum to Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, Mildred D. Taylor, and E.B. White, Wild Things will bring back fond memories for readers of all ages, along with a few surprises"-- Provided by publisher.

*According to the 1993 edition of The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, “bibliotherapy n.[is] the use of reading matter for therapeutic purposes.”

Reserves in the Library

Library Reserves are books and other materials that are kept behind the Service Desk for use by students in the Library. These items cannot be checked out, but they can be signed out for use in the Library for up to two hours at a time.

NHTI faculty often request that specific items be placed on reserve in order that they be available to all the students in a particular class, or course of study. By temporarily restricting them to Library Use Only, they ensure that the items will not be checked out for our usual 21-day period by one student, and thus be unavailable for everybody else.

Reserve items may be from the Library’s own collection, or they may belong to a specific department or faculty member. They may be books, models, pre-printed articles, flash cards, DVDs, or other materials.

To use a Reserve item, just present your NHTI student ID (or other acceptable ID) to the person at the Service Desk and ask for the item you need. The Library staff member will find your item, take your ID and ask you to write your name on the item’s sign-out form. You are now free to use the item within the Learning Commons area for two-hours. If there are specific parts of the item that are assigned, you may want to use the Library scanner to send those pages to your e-mail or to a flash drive for later study.

When you are finished, just return the item to the Service Desk and retrieve your ID.

The only exception to the rule of keeping Reserves in the Library are items marked Overnight Use Only. These are items such as DVDs/Blu-rays, ancillary readings, flash cards or other material that your professor feels could be better studied at home or in the residence hall. These items are signed-out the same as any other, but must be returned the next day that the Library is open. This ensures that the material is available for another student as soon as possible.

We at the Library try our best to share out Reserve items on a fair and equitable basis. There may be times when we can extend the two-hour limit and allow you more time to use them. At other times, the material is needed for an upcoming exam and every student in the class needs access, so we may be stricter in observing the time limit, for obvious reasons.

As always, the Library staff is your friendly source of information about Reserves as well as all our other resources. Come by and get to know us.

Taking Courses with Zoom

This fall many NHTI courses will meet remotely. We’ve compiled some tips to help prepare you for learning through Zoom.

Before the Semester Begins

Become Familiar with Zoom

It’s best to log in to Zoom before your class begins to ensure that the software works well with your computer. Visit Zoom’s Test Meeting to become familiar with the software’s features. You will be able to test your computer’s audio and camera. Take time to also learn how to mute your microphone, turn off the camera, raise your hand, and use the chat feature. 

Log on to Canvas

Most instructors publish their courses before the start of the semester. Log on to Canvas to review the syllabus and become familiar with the course layout.

Set Up Your Space

It might be tempting to turn the camera off, lay back on the couch, and “attend” class while also catching up on your favorite new Netflix show. For many reasons, this is not recommended.

Sit so that you are comfortable but also alert. (There’s a reason why classrooms do not have recliners.) Reduce background noise and remove visual distractions so that your classmates will be able to focus on the lecture and not the antics of your super cute cat. Position a lamp so that your face is illuminated.

One Your First Day (and Beyond)

Come to Class Early

Log on five minutes before class begins. Some instructors will set up the Zoom room so that you can enter early while others may ask you to wait in a waiting room. Either way, logging on early will give you a chance to settle in so that you’re ready when class begins. Also, don’t forget to be prepared and have everything you need—textbooks, notebooks, writing implements, water, etc. 

Use Your First and Last Name

It will take a while for your instructor and classmates to go to know you so it's best to log in with your first and last name. Remember, you might not be the only Tony in class so logging in as Tony’s iPhone could be confusing. 

During Class

Each class will have its own setup and culture. However, unless otherwise instructed it’s usually best to mute your microphone and raise your hand when you’d like to speak.

Speak to the camera, not the screen. You will look more natural.

If possible, use headphones to reduce noise and static. 

Avoid Multitasking and Reduce Distractions

We all think that we can listen to a lecture and respond to an email at the same time. Research shows that while we can do that, we can’t do both tasks well. When you’re in class, be in class. Avoid the multitasking trap and reduce distractions by turning off email and social media alerts. 

Ask for Help When Needed

At NHTI we all have one goal—for our students to succeed! If you’re struggling with Zoom (or anything else) contact your instructor or advisor. Little problems usually don’t just go away; in fact, they often lead to bigger problems. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Explore New Hampshire on Two Wheels

By Joyce

In my opinion, New Hampshire is one of the prettiest states to bike ride. Whether it's along the scenic coast, mountain terrain, or rail trails.

One of my favorites is the Derry/Windham/Salem Trail. This trail is approximately 11 miles round trip. Along this route you'll see the Boston-Maine C16 caboose, and 150 feet away stop in for an ice cream at the Windham Junction. Here you can pick up a map, and you'll find "points of interest" along the way.

Continue this trail south and you'll come across a coffee shop, bike shop, and the Tuscan Market, where you can feast on an Italian meal. Your ride will end at the Salem Depot Transportation Museum.

Looking for a nice scenic coastal trip? Begin at the Odiorne Point State Park. This ride is only 2.6 miles, but perfect for families or for first time bike riders. There is history to explore, and of course excellent ocean views.

Please remember the "rules of the road" and wear your helmet!

(Video created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. Visit their website for more information.)

Check out these books in our collection:

• Cycling the Backroads of Southern New Hampshire: 30 Scenic Tours
• Mountain Biking New Hampshire: A Guide to the 25 Best Places to Ride
• Bicycle Touring: The Complete Book on Touring by Bike
• Mountain Bike America:New Hampshire, Maine

Helpful links:

• Windham Rail Trail Alliance
• Derry Rail Trail
• Salem Bike-Ped Corridor
• NH State Parks

OER – What is it?

Some students have heard the term OER, or Open Educational Resources, but what are they exactly? According to the Hewlett Foundation: “[they] are educational materials that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others.”

Does this mean FREE TEXTBOOKS? Well, maybe yes and maybe no. OER are sometimes less that free textbooks, and sometimes more. How can that be?

The concept of OER is simple. Due to the increase of textbook prices over the last couple of decades, buying books has become a significant proportion of college costs, especially for students on limited budgets. The OER movement seeks to provide alternatives to expensive books by providing open textbooks that are free, or at least, low-cost, as well as other educational resources such as lecture notes, course outlines, online classes and much more.

The reason I say that it can be less than Free Textbooks, is that OER is still growing and at the present time there are many specific areas and courses for which no equivalent to a commercially produced textbook is available. However, as the concept catches on and as more support is provided by state and federal government as well as private donors, more authors are producing commercial-quality materials that they are providing free through organizations such as OER Commons, to which NHTI, as well as all our sister colleges of CCSNH as well as the members of the University System of New Hampshire, belong through a “hub” known as NH Open.

All across the nation (and around the world) the OER concept is being explored and developed. One source, OpenStax, created by Rice University, provides hundreds of free online textbooks. MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching) which started at California State University now represents a consortium of many states’ educational resources combined to “provide access to curated online learning and support materials and content creation tools.”

For faculty members, all of these consortia offer help and support in developing or authoring new online texts, or to provide free or low-cost course materials (outlines, examples, questions, discussion guide, etc.) needed to present quality courses to their students. Hopefully, these courses will also provide the “FREE TEXTBOOKS” I mentioned in paragraph two, in order to provide the college-level learning outcomes required by NHTI.

Several courses at NHTI are already using OER material, either textbooks or links to various Websites where the required information is held and can be freely accessed. Other courses use instructor-provided material that take the place of a purchased textbook. As we all grow more aware of OER that can meet our students’ needs, the staff and faculty of NHTI will try to incorporate it into a larger proportion of the courses presented here.

Watch for future entries where we discuss how OER are created and licensed and how they differ from information in the public domain.

Three Cheers for JSTOR!

Research! In-depth research, a vital and somewhat feared component of the college environment, is actually your closest friend when you are trying to turn in your best work to a professor. A good mantra for the student is “Know your topic - Improve your work”. The best way to know your topic – research. You shouldn’t let it frighten you or spur on your procrastination gene because as an NHTI student you have a world of information right at your fingertips. I’m not talking about Google or Wikipedia (which I am assured by people in the know, is not a reliable source for your research purposes). No, I am referring to one of the many great databases available on the NHTI Library’s website – JSTOR.

JSTOR was conceived by William Bowen in 1994 as a way to help university and college libraries fix a library space shortage due to a seemingly never-ending amount of published scholarly work. His plan to reduce costs, free physical space and improve availability of research material was to turn it all into a digital format. And JSTOR was born. Ok, it wasn’t as easy as that, but we are going to skip ahead to the good stuff.

JSTOR contains full-text articles of over 2, 600 academic journals covering the humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences. It is a great place to start your research for that upcoming project, paper, or that dreaded oral report (insert ominous theme music here). On top of the wealth of knowledge available to you, it is also easy to use.

The link to JSTOR is located on the Library's Database page and then under either Education, Literature, Social Science or Visual Arts. Click on the link, enter your easy login/password and you are ready to begin. You can do a very basic search by typing a topic in search box or more detailed search by clicking the advanced search option just below the box. A helpful hint – put exact phrases in quotation marks to narrow down your results. You can further restrict your results by choosing media type (books, articles, reviews), language, publication date, title, or even narrow down journals by discipline (ethics, art, computers, agriculture, history and many more). Once you have your results you can view the information, download it or save it. There is even a button to cite the material. One stop shopping at its best!

When it’s time to start that research project drop into JSTOR to help get you started on the way to your ‘A’ paper. Don’t forget to utilize all the options offered to the NHTI student- the physical books and journals housed at the NHTI Library, the vast knowledge and experience of our own Sarah Hebert, the various other databases located on our Library website, and the excellent help of the Writing Center at the Academic Center for Excellence.

Educating Ourselves About Race

By Annie Gagne

In our current society, we are in a unique position to be more vocal and more active than ever before. We are also in a position to educate ourselves more, be more understanding, and listen during a time when our communities and neighbors need to be heard. For me, communication plays a large part in my personal and professional life, and I always want to be receptive of others opinions and knowledge so that I may better myself and approach every situation with compassion and understanding.

With that in mind, how do we, as a society, take the right steps towards ending racism, unconscious bias and encourage positive change for our future generations? How does society open and encourage the lines of communication while being respectful of other points of view and personal experiences?

Researching and reading about the origins of racism, racial disparity and white privilege are great ways to learn more about societal issues and struggles, but there are also some amazing movies that focus on systematic racism as well. Below are just a few of my movie recommendations to aid the conversation and understanding of racial issues and how we can be more cognizant of our support of racial equality.

12 Years a Slave

Summary: Tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was abducted in Washington, D.C., and forced to spend the next twelve years of his life in captivity as a slave on a Louisiana cotton plantation.

Malcolm X

Summary: Inspiring story of Malcolm X, as he rises up from poverty, encounters the law, achieves spiritual enlightenment, and reaches out to others in the fight for human and civil rights.

Mississippi Burning

Summary: Two FBI agents investigate the deaths of civil rights workers in a Mississippi town. Tension is caused by the discovery of a local coverup.

Crash

Summary: The lives of a group of Los Angeles residents interconnect as a result of often heated and racist encounters.

Help for Online Learners!

Whether you are new to online learning or have completed multiple online courses, it is important to be organized and to know how to access the resources you need. If you haven’t already done so, a best first step is familiarizing yourself with this helpful booklet: Online Learning at NHTI: A Guide for Students. While it is beneficial to read through this before the semester begins, be sure to save it for easy access if you need to refer to it during the semester.

The Library has everything you need to be a successful online learner and access the materials you need using your EasyLogin user name and password. Most of the Library’s resources are available to you digitally, 24/7 and can be found at the Library: Research and Resources page.

Most searches can start out using the Quick Search Box where you can search Articles, eBooks, and/or Publications. Be sure to make sure the Full-Text box and the Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) boxes are checked in order to ensure access to the items in the NHTI collection and only items that have been approved by respected experts in the field.

You may also search individual databases by scrolling down the page a bit and selecting the link.

From here you can search the General grouping to use specific databases such as Films on Demand, or if you need help with formatting your paper, either the OWL or Chicago Manual of Style.

Below the General section are narrower groupings by subject, and at the very bottom is a Get Help section with video tutorials, links to live chat or to request a research appointment.

Be sure to check out these other blog posts with more great tips for both online learners and accessing Library resources: Tips for Online Learners, Finding Full-Text, and Why Don’t My Links Work?

Need more help? We are here for you! Please contact us by email, via chat during our regular business hours, or by phone at (603) 230-4028.