History Harvest: A Connection to the Community

Remember when? Remember when the Harbor Bridge was built?  Hurricane Celia?  The Buccaneer Days Parade?  High school rivalries?  Selena on the Domingo Show?  Concerts at the Memorial Coliseum?  The civil rights marches that changed our city?  South Texas has a rich history and your memories can help us understand the important events and experiences that have shaped the region. Every family has a story and individually these memories make our community what it is, and some of those important memories…

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It’s All in Your Head: Psychological Thrillers and the Unreliable Narrator

You’re a liar…delusional...confused…insane! No one is EVER going to believe you! Ok, well not you per say (theoretically at least, I don’t really know you, so…), but this is a common accusation made in many of the best psychological thrillers available today. Take the box office success, The Girl on the Train, staring Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, and a bunch of other names that Wikipedia lists. The movie, based on the New York Times best seller by Paula Hawkins, follows Rachel Watson, an alcoholic divorcée who is…

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Makers Making Use of the I-Create Makerspace Lab

After opening the I-Create Makerspace Lab in mid-January, we never would have guessed the flurry of activity that would occur around Valentine’s Day. In the days leading up to this romantic holiday, we had a nice surge of activity as makers of all disciplines made pilgrimages and many gifts were created!  The 3D printers were busy printing red roses for loved ones. On the embroidery machine, there was a whole lotta monogramming going on, including one very cuddly looking fleece…

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What do you spend on textbooks?

March 4-8 was Open Education Week, a week when we celebrate the power of the Internet to democratize education by providing a platform on which tools for learning—everything from videos and class modules to lecture notes and entire textbooks or courses—can be made freely available to anyone wanting to learn. In spite of the fact that we have the digital technology to provide learning materials at low to no cost and that many brilliant minds all over the world are engaged…

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Are you a Sean or a Joe? Re-shelving Books in the Library

Why do we ask you to put the books back on the cart instead of re-shelving them yourself? This is an excellent question. You're thinking, "If I re-shelve it myself, it will be right where I need it tomorrow; or, it'll be available for the next person." You obviously know where you pulled it from. You can see the gap right there. Also, maybe you’re saving the staff from having to do the work of putting it back; so really,…

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Microform: Nothing Micro About It

You're on your way to get your favorite focus food or drink from the vending machines in the Daily Read Café to keep your energy up for that research assignment that you're realizing you should have started a few days earlier. On the way, you weave through other students who you know are in the same boat as you, focused but stressed. When you turn the corner around the staircase, right before you see those doors that keep all the…

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Islander Feminists Guest Blog for Women’s History Month

In honor of Women’s History Month, the library is proud to host our first guest blogger, the Islander Feminists! This student organization has been a very active voice on campus. Dedicated to establishing an inviting and engaging culture where feminism and feminist topics are identified, discussed, and encouraged, this team has participated and hosted a variety of events; each aiming to build relationships, celebrate feminist ideals, educate the campus community, and so much more. They have initiated petitions, supported cultural events…

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February 26 is National Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Did you know that today is National Tell a Fairy Tale Day? From classic Grimm tales to modern day retellings, today is about appreciating the art of the story and how it captivates our imagination. Storytelling has been around since the dawn of man. We all love stories. They ignite feelings and emotions without having to go anywhere or do anything. They appeal to the power of our imaginations, to our curiosity, and to our desire to know more. There…

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Dr. Hector P. Garcia Fellowship

As a newcomer to Corpus Christi, one of the first local history figures I learned about was Dr. Hector P. Garcia. And for good reason:  Dr. Hector, who settled in Corpus with his family in 1945, was an enormously influential individual who made an impact not just locally but globally. He treated indigent patients in his medical practice. He founded the American G.I. Forum, which allowed Mexican-American veterans to organize and advocate for their rights. He stood up for migrant…

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The Power of Pleasure Reading

What if I told you there was this one little trick that could reduce feelings of stress and depression, increase feelings of relaxation, and expand your ability to cope with difficult situations? It's the simple act of reading for pleasure! When it comes to enjoyment of life and our ability to cope with the challenges we face, people who read report lower levels of stress, higher self-esteem, and greater self-acceptance and life satisfaction. Emotional and Psychological Benefits While people who…

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