Down on Main Street

Library Winter Break Hours

Holiday Suggestions

Over the holiday break, when the weather outside is too cold to play, check out a holiday-themed book or two!  Here are a few from our long list:

Juvenile: 
The night before Christmas  by Clement C. Moore

Hershel and the Hanukkah goblins  by Eric Kimmel

Arthur's perfect Christmas  Marc Brown

The magic dreidels : a Hanukkah story  Eric A. Kimmel

The Best Christmas tree ever  by Justine Korman
 

The seven days of Kwanzaa by Angela Shelf Medearis

 

Animals in winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder

 

 The story of the Nutcracker Ballet  by Deborah Hautzig

 

Adult:

4000 years of Christmas Earl Count and Alice Lawson Count 

 

A guide to nature in winter : northeast and north central North America  Donald W. Stokes

 

Ravens in winter Bernd Heinrich 

 

Christmas ghosts  edited by Kathryn Cramer & David G. Hartwell

 

A Christmas carol by Charles Dickens

 

Christmas memories with recipes conceived and edited by Maron L. Waxman

 

And many more! 

Giving Thanks

The Old Man and the Sea

"The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal -- a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream.

"Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss. Written in 1952, this hugely successful novella confirmed his power and presence in the literary world and played a large part in his winning the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature."

Amazon.com

Join the discussion on Wednesday, December 11, at noon, in the library's study room 1.

Books and audios are available for checkout in the library.  Bring your lunch!

Welding Technology

 Modern welding has taken a giant leap into the 21st century at WMCC.  Three virtual welders and twenty-four welding booths are newly installed, thanks to a 1.7 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, and a mobile training unit is on the way as well, which will be stationed at the Littleton campus.


From the WMCC webpage:
The Precision Welding Certificate program provides an individual with a broad overview of related welding skills and techniques as well as the specific skills necessary to be successful in an Advanced Manufacturing environment. Through a combination of classroom and laboratory training, students will learn the applications of SMAW (commonly called stick), MIG, and TIG welding, as well as the necessary safety, blueprint reading and practical application skills needed for employment in the industrial workforce.

The Welding Technology Certificate program provides an individual with the skills necessary to sit for American Welding Society (AWS) certification in structural welding, as well as a broad overview of related welding skills and techniques. Through a combination of classroom and laboratory training, students will learn the applications of shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, as well as the necessary safety, blueprint reading and electrical theory skills needed for employment in the industrial workforce. This program follows the AWS Schools Excelling through National Skills Education (SENSE) guidelines.

The Pipe Welding Certificate program builds on the foundation skills introduced in the Welding Technology Certificate and is intended to provide students with the skills necessary to sit for American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) certification. 
wmcc.edu

During the month of November, the library is highlighting WMCC's Welding programs.  For more information, please contact College Admissions at 603-752-1113 x 3000. 

Closed for Veteran's Day

WMCC closed Tuesday, October 22

Highlighting: Surveying Technology

Professor Dave Carlisle and students

Land surveying has existed throughout recorded history, settling disputes, mapping nations, setting boundaries and proving them all wrong.

From the college's webpage:  Surveying has changed dramatically with the integration of computers, robotic surveying instruments and global positioning systems into the surveying profession. Students studying Surveying Technology will learn the most current surveying techniques using the latest surveying equipment. Students have the opportunity to become proficient in using electronic total stations, robotic instruments, surveying data collectors and global positioning systems equipment, as well as the supporting computer software programs.


The two-year Associate Degree program is designed for students who wish to follow a career in surveying, with a path towards licensure as a Licensed Land Surveyor or professional land surveyor. Students will learn survey-related computer skills in one of the best-equipped computer labs in New Hampshire. Carlson Survey, Carlson SurvNet, Idrisi, Ashtech GNSS, Mobilemapper Office, and Trimble PathFinder Office software programs are taught in a lab dedicated to surveying and GIS (from the wmcc.edu "Surveying Technology Degree" page).

For more information, contact the college Admissions Office at 800-455-4525.

Outlander

Next on the list of books that the WMCC lunchtime book discussion group is reading is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.

Set in 18th century Scotland and 20th century England, Outlander crosses all genres while weaving a story that pulls the characters--and the reader, into another world. 

Get to know Jamie and Claire's sweeping saga in the first book of the hugely successful series by the same name (before the tale becomes a television series--in 2014).  

The group is meeting in Room 122 on Thursday, November 14th at noon in Room 122.

Copies of the book and audio are available in the library. 

Rediscovering Sherlock

White Mountains Community College Fortier Library and Berlin Public Library, with funding provided by the New Hampshire Humanities Council, will host a lecture and discussion series entitled “Rediscovering Sherlock” at the Fortier Library at White Mountains Community College.   

This series will explore the cultural staying power of Sherlock Holmes and examine the evolution of Detective fiction through its most popular character and stories.  


First Session:
When:  Wednesday, October 2, at 7 p.m.
Scholar:  Ingrid Graff
Viewing and Discussion:  Sherlock Holmes in "The Blue Carbuncle"

Second Session:
When:  Wednesday, October 16, at 7 p.m.
Scholar:  Ann McClellan
Humanities To Go Talk:  "(Not So) Elementary My Dear Watson"
 
Third Session:
When:  Wednesday, November 20, at 7 p.m.
Scholar:  Ingrid Graff
Humanities To Go Talk:  "The Case of the Detective Who Refused to Die"
Fourth Session:
When:  Wednesday, December 4, at 7 p.m.
Scholar:  Ingrid Graff
Book Discussion:  Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Free admission.  Refreshments will be served.  Copies of the book will be available at both libraries.

Spotlight on: Environmental Science & Technology

For the month of September, the Library is happy to promote one of the College's new programs:  Environmental Science and Environmental Technology degrees.

From the College website:
"The Associate in Science degree in Spatial Information Technology with a focus in Environmental Science, prepares students for careers and continuing education in natural resource fields. Through this program, students gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the natural world and the science behind current environmental issues. We offer exciting opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning in the classroom, laboratory, and through fieldwork.

The Associate in Science degree in Spatial Information Technology, with a focus in Environmental Technology, offers students many of the same opportunities as our Environmental Science concentration... Our Environmental Technology students are also required to take general courses in science, mathematics, English, and humanities. However, the required content courses for this option really focus on giving students hard skills. We teach our students how to run basic surveying equipment, give them background knowledge of how GPS systems really work, and teach them advanced GIS skills. We also put this environmental technology into context by requiring them to learn about how natural systems work through geology, hydrology, and other natural resource classes."


Click the Environmental Science/Technology Home Page link or visit the College webpage for more information.

Please contact instructors for even more information:
Dave Carlisle dcarlisle@ccsnh.edu  603-342-3022
Rachel Whitaker rwhitaker@ccsnh.edu  603-342-3023

Reading Steinbeck

Next on the list for the Lunchtime Book Discussion Group is The Red Pony by John Steinbeck.  Originally written as short stories, published separately over years, this episodic novella follows a boy named Jody through the trials of growing up and learning to deal with death and disappointment.

Copies of the book are available in the library.  We will meet in Room 122 on Thursday, September 26, at noon.  Bring your lunch!

Fifty Years of Dreaming

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech in on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

On the 50th anniversary of this historic event, we honor Dr. King's dream and his legacy.  To learn more about this speech, and about the life and work of Dr. King and other civil rights activists, please visit our display at the Fortier Library.

Databases Page Upgrade

If you've searched for a book or article from the WMCC Library Databases page lately, you've probably noticed that things look a little different.

Our search engines have had an extreme makeover, and it's better than ever!  By searching with the Discovery tab, you can search for all materials:  books, articles, ebooks, media, etc.  Icons make it easy to see you what type of material you've found in your search: book, article, sound, audiovisual, etc.  In the Books & Media tab, you can see if a book is available, where it's located on the shelf, and even place holds.  The Articles tab will take you to Ebscohost, where you will find that more articles are available in full-text than ever before, and you can print them immediately.  eBooks brings you to 118,000 electronic books that you can open and read right away.

Give it a try!  Don't be shy to ask a member of the library staff for assistance!

New Library Hours Beginning August 19

Join us for Cutting for Stone

The Lunchtime Discussion Group will meet at noon on Wednesday, August 28th, in Room 122.

Copies of Cutting for Stone books and audios are available for checkout in the library.

Cutting for Stone

This summer, the Lunchtime Book Discussion Group took a vacation, but we'll be back at the end of August to discuss Abraham Verghese's Cutting for Stone.

Beginning in Ethiopia, and crisscrossing the globe, this award-winning first novel is about twin brothers, medicine, fathers and sons, and of the secrets that bind and divide.

Books and audios are available in the library.  The discussion meeting date is yet to be determined.

Got a question? Give us a call!

 
WMCC now has direct-dial calling! 

The library's new phone numbers are:  603-342-3086 and 603-342-3087.   

Our summer hours, through August 15th, are Monday -Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday, 8 to 4.

Welcome to our new Library Director!

In December, longtime WMCC Director of Learning Resources, Katie Doherty, retired from the Library to become a full-time grandmother.  Congratulations Katie!

We searched near and far for just the right person to fill the position, and finally, our search is over.  The College is happy to announce that we found a new Director: Meagan Carr. 

Please stop by the library to welcome Meagan to the College and to the Library!  

Congrulations Graduates

 
Congratulations WMCC Class of 2013!

If you need assistance finding that dream job, stop by the library and check out our many books on resume and cover letter writing.  We have books on interviewing too.

Remember, our doors are open to alumni and community members, so don't be strangers!

Library Summer Schedule

Thinking, Fast and Slow

"Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman’s new and most accessible book, contains much that is familiar to those who have followed this debate within the world of economics, but it also has a lot to say about how we think, react, and reach—rather, jump to—conclusions in all spheres. What most interests Kahneman are the predictable ways that errors of judgment occur."                               Businessweek.com

In 2002, Daniel Kahneman, an Israeli-American psychologist, won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on prospect theory.  This world renowned thinker's research is summarized in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow.

The WMCC lunchtime book discussion group will meet to talk about this remarkable work on May 9,  in Room 122 at noon.  Bring your lunch!

Copies of the books, and audios, are available in the library.

Celebrating Nurses and Medical Assistants

Nurses and Medical Assistants occupy vital roles in our health care industry.  Spanning a vast spectrum of positions from hospitals, schools, clinics, municipalities, private care, and corrections--to name a few--all are focused on keeping us healthy and safe, and for that, we celebrate them.  For the months of April and May, the Fortier Library will be highlighting WMCC's Nursing and Medical Assistant programs.

The Associate Degree Nursing program prepares the student for practice as a registered nurse.   "This is a challenging and exciting time to be a nurse! Increased competition and ever-expanding consumer demand have created exceptionally attractive work opportunities for well-educated nurses. With core values in professionalism, integrity, and excellence, White Mountains Community College Associate Degree in Nursing graduates are in high demand for a variety of nursing jobs throughout Northern New England." 

From the WMCC Nursing webpages

Dedicated Nursing instructors: 
Top, l-r:  Program Director John Colbath, Nancy Smith, Sandra Yunghans, Beth Satter
Bottom, l-r: Emily MacDonald, Donna Briere, Sarah Baillargeron, Donna Driscoll

WMCC Medical Assistant students

"Medical assistants are multi-skilled health professionals specifically educated to work in ambulatory settings performing administrative and clinical duties. The role of medical assistant requires mastery of a complex body of knowledge and specialized skills requiring both lecture-based education and practical experience that serve as standards for entry into the profession.

WMCC’s Medical Assistant Degree and Certificate programs are nationally accredited, and prepare graduates to sit for the national certification exam.  Successful graduates will demonstrate proficiency in medical office procedures, clerical procedures, and electronic medical records management, and will understand the ethics and values associated with a career in allied health."

From the WMCC Medical Assistant webpages

 For more information about either of these programs, contact the Admissions Office at 800-455-4525 or (603) 752-1113, ext 3000 or email at wmcc@ccsnh.edu.

Green thumb?

Summer is short--make the most of it! Be it flowers or vegetables, gardening is a great hobby.

Whether you're a beginner or an expert, the WMCC Fortier Library has a variety of titles for advice or ideas. Check out our catalog (don't forget to select White Mountains Community College) and type in the subject, title or author's name. As always, ask for assistance, of if you can't find a particular item.

Here are a few examples to get you started:

* 10,000 garden questions answered by 20 experts Marjorie J. Dietz, editor ; originally edited by F.F. Rockwell ; new drawings for the fourth ed. by Ray Skibinski.
* The bird garden Stephen W. Kress ; foreword by Roger Tory Peterson.
* Cultivating the cook's garden Theodore James, Jr.

* Early sprouts : cultivating healthy food choices in young children Karrie Kalich, Dottie Bauer, Deirdre McPartlin.

* Garden paths : inspiring designs and practical projects Gordon Hayward.

Library Closing Early 3/19/13

Lunchtime discussion rescheduled

The discussion of Year of Wonders has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 27th, at 12:05 in Room 122.  Copies are available in the library!

WMCC Fortier Library Spring Break

Highlighting: Criminal Justice & Homeland Security

For the month of March, the Fortier Library is highlighting WMCC's Criminal Justice/Homeland Security program.

"The Associate in Science Degree in Criminal Justice/Homeland Security deals with the causes of crime and its control through the various components of the criminal justice system, with emphasis on management and administrative concerns. The events of September 11, 2001 and the ensuing Patriot Act of 2001 affected the awareness of law enforcement and the manner in which they carry out their duties. The program is broadly based and includes courses which cover law enforcement, the court, and corrections. These courses, coupled with our general education requirements, provide our graduates with the background necessary for success in the Criminal Justice field. The program is designed to allow both pre- and in-service students to complete the degree on either a full or part-time basis in preparation for professional careers, and to continue their studies, if desired, through subsequent matriculation at a four-year college.

Upon Completion of the program graduates will be qualified for law enforcement positions on local, state and federal levels including positions with the Department of Homeland Security."  

From the College web page; for more information, visit: 

www.wmcc.edu/academics/degree-programs/criminal-justicehomeland-security-degree

Contact our Admissions Office at 603-752-1113 x 3000 to enroll in this fascinating field!

The library has a great collection of materials for our students, or for anyone interested in all facets of law enforcement.

Year of Wonders

In the acclaimed historical novel Year of Wonders: a Novel of the Plague, author Geraldine Brooks introduces us to housemaid Anna Frith and her remote village in England.  The year was 1666, when an infected bolt of cloth carried the plague from London to Anna's village of Eyam. Through the following year, illness, superstition and fear threaten to destroy the village, but for the young woman who becomes a reluctant heroine.

Copies of the book and audio are available in the library.

The discussion group will meet at noon on Friday, March 22, in Room 122.  Bring your lunch!

Closing due to snowstorm

Due to the snowstorm, 
WMCC and the 

Fortier Library  

will close from  
12:00 p.m. on  

Friday, Feb. 8, 
and will  

reopen on 
Monday Feb. 11.

Highlighting: Automotive Programs

For the month of February, the WMCC Fortier Library is highlighting our Automotive Technology program. 

From our website, some quick introductions to the Associates Degree programs in Automotive Technology and Automotive Service Management:

"There are over 254 million vehicles on U.S. roads today. All of them require service periodically. More than one million men and women work at servicing these vehicles. Each year thousands of jobs become available for automotive technicians, trained to diagnose and repair the complex electronic and computer systems in today's vehicles.

"Automotive repair professionals need to have up-to-date technical information at their command. The Associate Degree program in Automotive Technology combines in-depth theory with extensive practical training in a well-equipped lab. The program is NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) certified. Students are also responsible for running the program's auto parts store, where they gain valuable experience in inventory, stock control and ordering.
Graduates of the program possess extensive knowledge of state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical/electronic and computer systems used in today's automobiles. They have expertise in using micrometers, calipers, multimeters, engine analyzers, scan tools, torches and welders, computerized alignment systems, brake lathes, emissions analyzers and valve and seat reconditioning equipment. Students also learn to utilize the ALLDATA and the Mitchell On-Demand Computerized Automotive Service Information systems.

 "As America's automotive industry grows, so too do the number and size of dealerships. These businesses require individuals who possess strong management skills, coupled with a background in automotive technology. The Associate Degree Program in Automotive Service Management meets these needs... Upon graduation, students have the skills required to secure positions as assistant service manager, parts and service consultant, service advisor, service manager, and general manager."

For more information on these programs, contact instructors Al Host (ahost@ccsnh.edu) or Troy Lachance (tlachance@ccsnh.edu).  To find out about all of our programs, visit the WMCC website at:   www.wmcc.edu

What is an Outlier?

From Malcolm Gladwell's website:  "'Outlier' is a scientific term to describe things or phenomena that lie outside normal experience... In this book I'm interested in people who are outliers—in men and women who, for one reason or another, are so accomplished and so extraordinary and so outside of ordinary experience that they are as puzzling to the rest of us as a cold day in August."

On Thursday, February 14, the lunchtime discussion group will meet in Room 122, at noon, to discuss this fascinating topic.  Bring your lunch!

Copies of the book and audio are available in the library.

Library Hours for Spring 2013

Beginning Tuesday, January 22, the hours of the WMCC Fortier Library are:

     Monday-Thursday:  8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

     Friday:  8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

     Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Spring Evening Lecture/Discussion Series

Fairies and Wishes and Witches, Oh My!
The Import of Fairy Tales in All of Our Lives

Join us for this fantastic new book discussion and lecture series,
led by Ingrid Graff.  All programs are free and open to the public.

Wednesdays, at 7 p.m., except for March 27 at 6 p.m., at the White Mountains Community College, Berlin, Fortier Library (Room 127).  Refreshments will be served.





Books for this series are available for loan at both libraries.

Sponsored by the Berlin Public Library and the White Mountains Community College, Berlin.  Funding provided by the New Hampshire Humanities Council and the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation  - North Country Region.