Meet Anita Amirrezvani, Author of The Blood of Flowers

Both a love story and a luminous portrait of a city, The Blood of Flowers is the mesmerizing historical novel of an ill-fated young woman whose gift as a rug designer transforms her life. Illuminated with fascinating detail of Persian rug-making, and bringing to life the sights, sounds, and life of seventeenth-century Isfahan, The Blood of Flowers is a timeless tale of one woman's struggle to live a life of her choosing. Kirkus ...Reviews wrote that the novel is "a lavishly detailed debut, in which some of the simple values of a folktale are woven together with richer (and more modern) women-centered life lessons." Join us for a special event when the author will read from and discuss her novel.

Anita Amirrezvani was born in Tehran, Iran, and lives in Northern California. For ten years, she was a staff dance critic for newspapers in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has received fellowships from the National Arts Journalism Program, the NEA's Arts Journalism Institute for Dance, and the Hedgebrook Foundation for Women Writers.

Co-sponsored by Chabot College Foundation, Chabot College Book Club, Hayward Public Library, Friends of the Hayward Library, and AAUW Hayward/Castro Valley Branch.

The Library Celebrates LGBT History Month

The Library is proud to celebrate LGBT History Month. For the month of October, take a look from the Library's Contemporary Reading Shelves to read about the rich LGBT History and Culture in the United States. Featured topics include same sex marriage, coming out stories, gays and lesbians in the military, civil rights struggles throughout the years, and providing support to LGBT teenagers. Featured figures and authors include Harvey Milk, Audrey Lorde, James Baldwin, Billie Jean King, David Hwang, Alice Walker, and more!

In addition, the Library contains a display case in honor of National Coming Out Day, which will take place on Monday, October 11, 2010. The Library also supports causes such as prevention of teen suicide and anti-gay bullying (such as the Trevor Project) and reminds everyone in honor of six gay men who tragically took their own lives recently to wear purple on Wednesday, October 20, 2010.

However, while this is a month of awareness it is also a month of celebration to our LGBT youth and the historical figures who have and continue to touch our lives, impact our culture, and contribute to society in their service.

To glance at our featured collection, browse our Contemporary Reading Shelves and Display Cases or go to the LGBT History Month Collection Page

Upcoming Author Event

On Thursday, October 21: Stephen Gutierrez, the 2010 American Book Award winner, will be reading selections from his book, Live from Fresno y Los. This event will take place in the Library, Room 107A & B during college hour (12:00 -1:00pm).

(hosted by the Chabot College Library, The Chabot College Foundation and the Chabot College Book Club)

What's Going On With the Databases?!

As I'm sure you notice sometimes when you log onto Facebook, let alone even on Google, sometimes the interface in front of you has changed, and sometimes even the NAMES of the databases have changed. These days, these changes seem to happen overnight that even us librarians are not prepared!

Given that, here are the updates of what's going on with our databases since January of this year:

1. Project MUSE is no longer a subscription database at Chabot due to budget cuts.

2. In the Spring, with small monies, we were able to get the Arts and Sciences II version of JSTOR. It is a TINIER and more SUBJECT LIMITED version of MUSE, let alone all of JSTOR as well as more of a NON-CURRENT database (there is an embargo of five years on most titles, meaning the newest issue will most often be at least five years old). This database focuses primarily in the fields of Political Science, Anthropology, Family Studies, Classical Studies, and History. For more information, look at the title list.

3. The Library began purchasing/owning E-books which are accessed through the new Gale Virtual Reference Library platform.

4. EBSCOhost has changed its interface. When you use our tutorials on EBSCOhost, some information is now out of date, but not so radically different. It's mainly the search results page where all information to limit your search, whether it be to peer-reviewed or by subject, will now all be on the LEFT side.

5. JSTOR has changed its interface. You need to UN-CHECK the lower selection that says "Include Links to External Content" as most of that content is currently NOT free.

6. Pop Culture Universe has been bought by another company and we now have two database products. At present, the one with more detail is the E-Books database called Pop Culture E-Books. The new Pop Culture Universe should mainly be used for quick reference check-ups, news, or decades information.

7. The Gale vendor is currently in the process of replacing its "Resource Center" products with the new "In Context" products. Biography Resource Center is now Biography In Context with a brand new interface. We expect Literature Resource Center to eventually have the name change and similar interface changes as well, but we do not know when.

8. LexisNexis Academic's new interface is now the official interface. To learn more on how to use it, check out the YouTube instructional tutorials.

If you need help sorting all of this out, please contact a librarian. Even if we have just been faced with a sudden change, we are very adaptable and can quickly help you figure out any of the new quirks of the new databases. You can see us at the LEFT side of the main desk, chat with us below, or call us at 510-723-7006. Happy searching!

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The Library Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

This past summer I came across a very cool book, Lengua Fresca (on order), which opened the door to an eclectic mix of contemporary Latino/a authors. Their writings prompted the idea of creating a book display in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15). The display, located near the library’s periodicals, directly across from the Reference & Circulation Desk, includes titles by Junot Diaz, Ana Menendez, Dagoberto Gilb, Cristina Garcia to name a few. These emerging voices are an attempt to showcase a new aesthetic of Latino/a life in the United States. And yes, it’s okay to check them out!

NEW this year, a suggestion box (on top of one of the display cases) to collect your impressions of the current book display as well as to gather title suggestions and ideas for future exhibits—your participation will be appreciated.

Also NEW this year, in partnership with Angie Magallon’s ENGL 22 (Mex Amer/Latino Lit of U.S.), the library will be displaying some of her students’ work later this month in an effort to bring additional context to this month’s celebration!

Pedro Reynoso, Outreach and Instruction Librarian

Welcome to the Fall Semester!

With already a little over a week into the semester, you may already have your assignments or have other sorts of questions. Librarians are available to help you and all you need to do is contact us:

At the reference desk (left side of the main desk on the 2nd floor in Building 100). Get face to face help and hands on instruction from a librarian!

By phone: (510) 723-7006

By Chat Reference: Main window in the right column of the Library home page: http://www.chabotcollege.edu/library/

By Text Reference: 394-5707

Contact us whenever the Library is open!

M-TH 8 a.m. - 8:25 p.m.
F 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

New Password to Get into Databases and Look Upo Your Record

As of June 3, 2010 there is now a new way to get into our databases and to look up your record (to renew books, etc.) in the Library Catalog.

When logging into databases off campus there is now a new password.

The username is still your W ID number and it must begin with a capital W. If you do not know your W ID number, look up your record on Class-Web: https://bw6.clpccd.cc.ca.us/pls/OWA_PROD/twbkwbis.P_WWWLogin

After logging in, the first item listed will be what is my W ID?

The password is the following:

The first TWO letters of your first name, the first TWO letters of your last name, and the LAST FOUR DIGITS of your W ID number.

For example, if your name is Jane Chabot and your W ID number is W98765432

It would be this:

Username: W98765432
Password: jach5432

To look at your patron record in the Library Catalog go to:

http://chla.sirsi.net/uhtbin/cgisirsi/x/CHABOT/0/1/488/X/BLASTOFF

Where it says PIN be sure to type in the password as listed above.

While the password is the same as the default password to Blackboard, it is NOT the same password as getting into Class-Web or The Zone.

If you have any questions, please contact us

E-Books at Chabot College Library

Since last year, Chabot College Library has begun getting subscriptions and purchasing databases and platforms that provide E-Books. Here is an introduction to three products that are available to you:

Pop Culture Universe searches reference books, encyclopedias, biographies, and collections of essays on various aspects of popular culture from around the world, from the early twentieth century to the present. Provided by renowned publishers such as Greenwood and Praeger, this collection, written by scholars of many different fields, demonstrate a quality that Wikipedia can never compare. Whether it is research on film studies, cultural anthropology, the youth culture, trends in art or music, or biographies of well-known figures of the day, this is an excellent resource. The total of the collection amounts to around 370 titles with over 400 volumes, and includes over 5,500 book chapters AND over 19,000 detailed encyclopedia entries.


Gale Virtual Reference Library is a platform for you to access many different reference E-books. The Library has purchased so far 71 different titles, totaling to more than 200 volumes which includes research in the Social Sciences, the Sciences, Literature, Business, Law, Careers, and Education. Also contains analyses and statistics of the hot topics of the day.

Salem Literature and Salem Health are different platforms which contain titles that the Library has purchased in print, of which the Library is also given free online access. Salem Literature contains book-length critical analyses of individual authors such as Toni Morrison or individual works such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Salem Health contains encyclopedias on various aspects of human health.

Where do I find them? All products are available on our Databases page where you click on Magazines, Journal Articles and Newspapers. You can also find them at our developing E-Books page (currently in progress).

Have a Research Paper and Don't Know What to Do?! Attend a Last Minute Workshop!

Chabot Library Celebrates Earth Day

Chabot Library celebrates Earth Day with great recent books on hot environmental topics such as climate change and environmental justice. Look at the book covers on the right, click on them, and learn what's being featured on our Contemporary Reading Shelves this month!

Also, in honor of Chabot's Earth Day teach-in event, Toxic Town, the Library has updated its research guide on possible future power plants in Hayward as a robust libguide

So be conscientious of your surrounding environment and learn more @ The Library!

Author Appearance - April 15, 2010

Bring a brown bag lunch for “College Hour” with Professor Francisco Jiménez, author of Breaking Through and The Circuit , who will discuss his writings and how they relate to themes presented in Bless Me Ultima.

Francisco Jiménez emigrated with his family to California from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, and as a child he worked in the fields of California. He is currently the Fay Boyle Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Santa Clara University.

Jobs Workshop March 10th and 11th, Noon to 1 p.m.

Haiti Film Screening: The Agronomist

Zinn, Salinger and Leal Remembered @ the Library

Last week's email conversation about the passing of three iconic figures in their respective circles prompted the Library to create a display installation for each. The exhibits showcase the life and work of Howard Zinn (1922-2010), J. D. Salinger (1919-2010), and Luis Leal (1907-2010). Our goal is to bring this dialog to the student and inspire them to conduct library research related to each installation!

Note: Displays are located in front of the old circulation desk (across from the current desk)

NEW MLA Handout at Chabot

Chabot Library is proud to announce the new, updated handout to the MLA Works Cited format. Now corresponding to seventh (2009) edition, the new handout is your resource for quick reference to cite different instances to online database articles, books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and Web sites. Copies of the new handout are available at the reference desk (in a celestial blue color) and at: http://www.chabotcollege.edu/Library/onlineref/cited.html

Library Reserves

This is just a reminder to all of you that we will place any of your teaching materials on reserve here in the library. However, we don't purchase textbooks for this purpose. You need to provide us with one of your extra desk copies.

We've had several students in the library recently asking for their textbooks that some of you may have said to them that we would have in the library. We don't! You are our only source for these books.

Please pass the word on to your part-time colleagues that may not receive this email.

Just stop in the library and ask for the form Chabot College Reserve Book Request at the Circulation desk. They will be placed on reserve in your name and class.

Help us to better serve your students.

Library Orientations

The Chabot College Librarians offer orientation sessions during each semester, including the summer, covering basic library and research skills. We customize each orientation based on the given assignment.

Whether your students are required to write a report, a critical essay, or a research paper, the librarians will show them how and where to begin. We will make sure they don’t get lost in the overwhelming sea of information. They will learn about:

· Organization of the Chabot College Library
· Finding Books Using the Online Book Catalog
· Finding Articles Using Periodical Indexes
· Internet Resources
· Research Strategies and Techniques
· Selection and Evaluation of Sources
· Citation Formats

Use the attached Orientation Request form today to schedule an orientation for your class. Or, you can submit the online Library Instruction Form for Faculty that can be found at http://www.ushosttech.com/chabot/library/request.cfm. We need a minimum of one week’s notice in order to schedule and prepare for your session. Please include a copy of your assignment.

Welcome Back! It's a New Decade!

And the semester is in full swing today. The Library is open and our current hours are available at: http://www.chabotcollege.edu/Library/abby/hours.html

Online Chat Reference

New services include our Online Chat Reference. Now on the Library home page and at the times indicated, you can get real time online reference from one of our librarians. Look at the third column and type in your question at the bottom of the box!

Searchpath 1.2 and Lots of Other Tutorials

The Library is proud to announce Searchpath 1.2, the new version of a six module tutorial that will teach you how to use both print and online resources effectively. Each module lasts from 15 to 45 minutes long, depending on the lesson.

In addition, we now have many new tutorials that will teach you how to log into databases from off campus, search the Library Catalog and EBSCOhost, effective tips on Emailing and printing articles from databases, and further tips on how you can become a savvy researcher on EBSCOhost. Please take a look at our tutorials, and then if you have any questions, as always, contact a librarian.

Stay tuned for more on more new services available just for you at the Library, and upcoming events!

Happy Searching!

Where is Project MUSE?

As you know, all state funded institutions in California have been suffering by budget cuts. While the Library believes you should have as many resources online as possible, we did not have the funds to renew this important database for the 2010. This means for the Spring semester full text articles for Project MUSE are not available. As Project MUSE was a unique subscription as we had what was called "perpetual access," once the DVD-ROMs are available around June, we will have copies of all articles up to 2009 from our past database subscription in that format (a librarian would then retrieve an article for you). Unfortunately, we will not receive these DVD-ROMs until likely June.

If your instructor asks you to use Project MUSE, search in one of our other many current database subscriptions instead. They are available at: http://www.chabotcollege.edu/Library/abby/dblist.html

EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite has articles similar to what you would find in Project MUSE and for literary criticism, use Literature Resource Center.

If you still need to use Project MUSE, the CSU East Bay Library currently subscribes to it. You will need to be on the CSU East Bay campus, itself, to use it, however.