resources

Why do leaves change color? Why do leaves change color in the fall and, well… fall? The Wikipedia article on Autumn Leaf Color explains that “A green leaf is green because of the presence of a pigment known as chlorophyll … When abundant in the leaf’s cells, as during the growing season, the chlorophyll’s green…

July 30 is the UN International Day of Friendship. Their website explains that this “was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.” Let’s look to our global future and think about how to create…

Communicate Across Cultures  Learn different ways to connect with other cultures and form international relationships with others. From WCC’s own international programs, Intercultural Center and library resources – we’ve got the answers to your curious questions. WCC International Programs Get involved with WCC International Programs by studying abroad, getting to know an exchange student, or supporting…

The Learning Commons will be closed for the holiday on Friday, July 4. Regular hours will resume on Monday, July 7. Library resources on Independence Day Independence Day (topic page from Credo Reference) Includes many reference articles about the history of the holiday. The Fourth of July Encyclopedia (online book, 2013) by James R. Heintze“This is…

June 27 is National PTSD Awareness Day. Learn about PTSD and available resources at WCC. What is PTSD? Black’s Medical Dictionary, 43rd Edition describes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this way: It “is one of several psychiatric disorders that can develop in people exposed to severe trauma … Most people exposed to trauma do not develop…

June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. Your library has resources to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community. Ask us! General Resources LGBT Topic Page (via Credo Reference)Encyclopedia articles about LGBTQ+-related topics including family and sexuality, history, politics, and more. LGBTQ+ eBooksView a search in our eBook collection with results on LGBTQ+ topics. Librarians can help you…

Learn more about the library’s reference sources with the topic of Memorial Day as an example. What are “reference” sources? “Reference” is a library term for general information. Reference sources can mean books in print like encyclopedias and dictionaries–something users can quickly “refer” to that provide basic information. Encyclopedias, typically coming in multiple volumes, contain…

On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that state laws requiring segregated public schools for black and white students were unconstitutional. The family of Linda Carol Brown, age 21, was one of a number of families involved in the case who all strove for equal educational opportunities for their children. This case was…

The second Sunday in May is Mother’s Day in the U.S. Over 40 other countries celebrate it, though sometimes on different dates. See the Wikipedia article for a list by country. Origin of Mother’s Day in the U.S. The Credo Reference topic page on Mother’s Day has several encyclopedia articles about its origin. This featured…

Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May) commemorates a Mexican victory against the French in 1862. History of Cinco de Mayo The following explains how this holiday came to be so popular in the United States. “Americans might love Cinco de Mayo, but few know what they’re celebrating” (article from The Conversation: An Independent Source of Analysis…