May the Force Be with You! It’s National Star Wars Day. Read all about here #LVCCLD.

We traced Luke Skywalker back to Tunisia in Gale Artemis Literary Sources. See what we uncovered from All Things Considered. http://bit.ly/1aM4SCP

Experience War Through Words

When you are young and Memorial Day rolls around, you are oblivious to what the extra day off of school and impromptu cookout means.  However, the older you get, the more you understand the actual signification of the holiday, to remember and honor those who have fallen in war. It is quite hard to imagine what it would be like going through such a horrendous experience. Perhaps that’s why we are so captivated by war memoirs, because those powerful words are the closest most of us will ever come to being faced with such fear and terror.

Every military experience is different and each new war book helps us to understand that. Here are a few from the eMedia Catalog to get you started.

Author James Bradley has captured the glory, the triumph, the heartbreak, and the legacy of the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima in Flags of Our Fathers. Here is the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America.

Robert Leckie a young U.S. Marine fought in the Pacific during World War II and is the bestselling author of Helmet for My Pillow, has written a thrilling account of the battle for Iwo Jima and of the Americans who fought for every bloody inch of the island. He also presents the story of the Japanese commander and the men in his command and their desperate “last stand” defense of the island.

Newly released title Vanished, tells the story of  a massive American bomber carrying eleven men vanishing over the Pacific islands of Palau in 1944, leaving a trail of mysteries. In this spellbinding narrative, Wil S. Hylton weaves together the true story of the missing men, their final mission, the families they left behind, and the real reason their disappearance remained shrouded in secrecy for so long.

And then there’s WAR by Sebastian Junger.  This critically acclaimed book details the Junger’s 14-month experience following a platoon in Afghanistan and aims to uncover the truths of war.

Will the average person ever really understand what it’s like to be dropped in a foreign land and told to fight for their life? The only real way to discover the truth is to experience it for yourself, and if not, read about it and honor the memory of those who so bravely fought for the country.

For additional resources on wars and the military visit Hot Topic – American History

Need Help with Homework? Do you know where to find someone to help?

Here’s a tip from students in the know – use BrainFuse HelpNow! It’s FREE and it will help you get better grades. Just see what the students who used it in January had to say then try it for yourself!

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Learn how to dig deeper into the author than you ever thought possible!

We have just added two new literature databases which can be found on the Databases A-Z Search by Topic – Literature & Poetry page and under their name on the Databases A-Z pages. the databases are:
Dictionary of Literary Biography – provides more than 16,000 biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world’s most influential literary figures from all eras and genres. This literature resource includes the DLB main series, the DLB Documentary Series, and the DLB Yearbook Series – all delivered in an easy-to-use 24/7 online format that matches the exact look and feel of the print originals.

LitFinder – If looking for a literary work this is the place to start. It contains 140,000 full-text poems, 840,000 poem citations and excerpts, 7,100 full-text short stories and novels, 3,800 full-text essays published in the 16th-20th centuries, 2,400 full-text speeches, and 1,250 full-text plays. LitFinder is also now available in Artemis Literary Sources.

Want to learn how to use these new databases and Artemis Literary Sources? Attend one of the sessions below on January 16th at Windmill Library in the Virtual Library Training Lab.

Session 1: 10:30 a.m. – Noon

Session 2: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

These are hands-on training session and everyone is welcome to attend including students and teachers! Since space is limited please RSVP by email to ask@lvccld.org with your name and which session you wish to attend.

Biography Center in Context: Cleopatra

Find out with more about this queen of ancient Egypt and one of the most fascinating women in history. Find this article as well as others featuring authors, explorers, inventors, and more in Biography in Context.

For additional biography resources checkout the Library’s Biographies Hot Topic page.