All posts by Joe Terrana

Innovation Lab Hosts Energy Initiative for International Visitor Leadership Program

Learning Resources, Libraries, WebApproved

The Innovation Lab at the Seminole Campus hosted another World Partnerships and United States Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) for their “U.S. Technology and Solutions for Waste-to-Energy Initiatives” project for Pakistan. There were visitors from the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Departments (Punjab and Sindh), the Green Building Council, and other Pakistani energy organizations.

The group had an informative virtual meeting with Mr. Peter Keller, Managing Director at Berkeley Research Group, where a wide-ranging conversation on waste-to-energy projects, state-of-the-art technology, and sustainable energy was discussed. Mr. Keller has advised key utility clients as the industry went through significant deregulation and began to confront the challenges of climate change and the need to decarbonize. A tour of the Innovation Lab on the SPC Seminole Campus was conducted after the virtual meeting to exchange ideas on emerging technologies.

Chad Mairn, Librarian and Manager of the Innovation Lab, has partnered with World Partnerships for a few years. In November 2019, he met with eight scientists representing Vietnam, Estonia, Egypt, Zambia, South Africa, Paraguay, Malta, and Argentina to support the “Hidden No More: Empowering Women Leaders in STEM” project sponsored by the IVLP Division.

They continued to meet virtually over the years and, in fact, had plans to meet inside virtual reality, but there were difficulties getting equipment due to strict export controls. Regardless, they have had success using more traditional tools like Zoom to stay connected. This IVLP program is coming back later this year!

In 2021, Chad moderated an esports/gaming panel where twenty participants from Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela all logged in from across the Western Hemisphere to discuss “Video Games for STEAM and Entrepreneurship.” 

The U.S. Department of State, Cultural Vistas, World Partnerships, and Games for Change hosted the webinar.

“World Partnerships has a worldwide mission for educational, cultural, commercial and professional exchange with current and emerging global leaders. U.S. Embassies and Consulates in more than 100 countries have screened the movie ‘Hidden Figures’ for international audiences, generating discussions on race, gender equality, and women in STEM careers. These successful screenings inspired the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) where women leaders who represented ‘hidden talent’ in their home countries visit the United States to explore U.S. efforts to prepare women and girls for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).”

Five Holiday eBooks from the SPC eBook Library

Libraries

Our libraries will be closed for a period of time over the winter break but that doesn’t mean you can’t still read until your heart’s content by using our substantially robust eBook collection.  Here are five holiday eBook suggestions for when reading in your fireside rocking chair, available from the SPC eBook collection at any time.

For the kids!  Here’s a humorous pick from SpongeBob SquarePants espousing the virtues of kindness, politeness, and express lane etiquette in “Don’t Be a Jerk – It’s Christmas!”

Click this link to go directly to the eBook: https://spc-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_SPC/18g5m63/alma990024535610106590

In this next, more serious and scholarly offering, Jewish Americans describe the changing ways Hanukkah is celebrated across America as it initially started off as a smaller holiday and grew into what we know as the major celebration it is today.

Click this link to go directly to the eBook: https://spc-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_SPC/18g5m63/alma990022439680106590

Though he found success writing humor and satire articles for the Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens became a household name after writing the now classic “A Christmas Carol”.  This feel good story is a classic for anyone who might know a Scrooge or two.

Click this link to go directly to the eBook: https://spc-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_SPC/18g5m63/alma9913727477106561

In the next book, our author touches on a broader range of holidays.  Why do we trick-or-treat?  The Easter Bunny?  Turkey for Thanksgiving?  This interesting read builds each holiday by starting on the season the date falls on, the religious or national influences, and finally modern culture and the commercial aspects.

Click this link to go directly to the eBook: https://spc-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_SPC/18g5m63/alma991000450209606590

And finally, another Santa standard for the kids, “Twas the Night Before Christmas”.  This quintessential classic produced many of the features of what we know as the modern Santa Claus. 

Click this link to go directly to the eBook: https://spc-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_SPC/18g5m63/alma990027407290106590

Duel Enrollment in the New Year

Uncategorized

Are you in high school? Are you a parent of a student who attends a high school in the Pinellas County area? You could earn a free 2 year college degree at SPC. How cool is that! Be sure to check out our workshop coming up on January 7th at 6pm. This wonderful opportunity allows qualified students to earn college credits while in high school and best of all it’s free. That’s right. There is no cost for application and tuition. And for Pinellas County public schools and home education students the textbooks are at no cost as well. (And since this is a Learning Resource and Library blog, face-to-face tutoring and on-line tutoring as well as articles and journals are free too.)

We are excited to present you with an opportunity to get a jump start on qualifying for the Dual Enrollment, Early College, and Early Admission programs for the next school year. This opportunity is made possible through a partnership between St. Petersburg College and Pinellas County Schools. You could earn high school and college credits simultaneously at no cost to you!

Click on the link below and get your future started.

https://www.spcollege.edu/future-students/admissions/high-school-programs/dual-enrollment

SPC Band Books

Uncategorized

Every year in libraries across the nation there is a week dedicated to banned books and we are no exception. But at the SPC Gibbs Library it’s always band book week in the Retro Joe’s study area. Nestled among record players, mixers, and even an old juke box resides a collection of books under the name 33 1/3. (The number 33 1/3 refers to the speed at which a full length vinyl record must be played at to sound correct.) Each book in this wonderful little collection spotlights a specific band, album, or musical style written by an author who researched and possibly interviewed the members of the band or the recording engineer.

One example is a 33 1/3 book written about the album Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys. This album was meant to be a big hit following their huge release License to Ill but after major set-backs, mishaps, and self sabotage they managed to release the album to a fairly tepid response. The story of how and why is covered in this particular volume and the album went on to define the use of sampling. (they used so many that it would be impossible today because of copy-right infringement and in fact this album helped to clarify how much of a song or beat you could use without payment compensation.) Now looking back the album is considered ground breaking in the hip-hop and pop arena and is still referenced to this day.

Another book written about the album ( ) and that is indeed the album’s name, by Sigur Ros describes how the band achieves it’s unique characteristic sound by recording in unusual locations such as an empty pool and using violin bows and e-bows on guitars. The resulting music is an ethereal soundscape with an almost movie-like quality that reflects the band’s Icelandic roots with a style that’s all their own.

But don’t take our word for it, see for yourself what 33 1/3 books we might have about your favorite record or CD. Drop in to the second floor and head for the fifties diner looking study room and have a look around.

SPC Workshop Madness

Learning Resources, Libraries, Tutoring

Now that we are well into the semester don’t forget that we here at SPC have a plethora of workshops, presentations, and on-line discussions that are available to students, faculty, alumni, and the general public. We are working hard to get the word out about every offering we have and there are two ways to see what we have in the oven. From A & P I and II to Math and Science, business, and even sewing and stitching, we have it all. How to recycle a plastic bag? Got it. Statistics and Spanish? Got it. Suicide awareness? Got it. Speed-dating with databases? What does that even mean? Well come on over and find out.

First we have our Learning Resources 2020 link for your one stop shop about all things tutoring as well as our easy to read calendar that lists all of the up coming workshop, events, and sessions with short descriptions of each. These listings are primarily centered around our Library and Learning Resources group however these dates are are also cross-posted on our main SPC page.

A second way to view all of our offerings including those outside the scope of Learning Resources is to visit our SPC Events page. This page includes a broader scope of happenings in other departments and locations. Emotional Intelligence workshops, Early Women’s rights presentations, and the Lunch Series workshops are just a few of the events offered. There are timely events as well such as a presentation on policing and minority communities with Delrish Moss, the former Chief of Police for the Ferguson, Missouri Police Department.

New workshop are added on a routine basis so come back often and check for added dates and events as we move forward.

Crafting in Quarantine

Libraries

Take a quick scroll through almost any social media platform and you will see your network’s recent attempts at keeping their calm during a time of great uncertainty. One common activity that has been giving people comfort has been learning various needlecrafts, such as knitting, crochet, and cross-stitch.

As a knitter from before it was cool (I.e., the pre-quarantine days), I find some joy in seeing the same friends take up these crafts that used to tease me for being the “old lady” at our gatherings, as I always tend to bring a small knitting bag everywhere I go.

While working from home, SPC employees have been able to bond across campuses and thanks to those new and strengthening connections, we discovered that there are many crafters hiding in our ranks. Kassie Sherman, Heather Meyer, Nina Mulligan, and I pulled together to create Stitch, Please—an all-inclusive online crafting group. We welcome students, staff, and community members who are using fiber to create and keep our cool.

Our group has been meeting since June and has been a great way to interact with our SPC community. The group facilitators come from several campuses, so it has given us an opportunity to work together and to get to know faculty and students from elsewhere in the college. We have also been able to learn more about each other’s preferred fiber crafts. Kassie from Tarpon has been sewing adorable food items from felt, while Nina and Heather have preferred to crochet. I have alternated between knitting a pair of shorts and spinning wool into yarn. We have even learned a bit about spinning wheels, drop spindles, and nalbinding!

Stitch, Please will continue this Fall and we can be found every Friday at 10:00 a.m. Please visit our LibGuide to learn more about the group or register to attend.

Antonia Green is a Library Services Paraprofessional at St. Petersburg College.

Diversity is the Spice of Life

Uncategorized, WebApproved

Imagine a world where everything was the same.

All the flowers are the same, all the trees. All the people are the same color, and everyone thinks the same thing.

It may sound ideal at first, but think about it. Deeply. Where would we be if this “utopia” existed? Would we have progressed so much as a society without challenges to the ‘norm’?

Tesla vs. Edison

For some reason, I am intrigued by the 1880’s debate between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. I really couldn’t tell you who ultimately won that debate. Tesla’s AC power, alternating current, reigned supreme for a while but considering that the very device you’re reading this blog from is Edison’s DC power, direct current, now we have a toss-up. Certainly, we all benefit from that “war” and can appreciate how they were both challenged to improve and learn everything they could about their new, opposing ideas!

Potato-palooza!

Let’s consider the potato. You’ve likely eaten them in some fashion. Beyond being mashed, fried, or made into a salad, did you know that according to the International Potato Center: CIP, “there are over 4,000” edible “potato varieties”? This amazing veggie/starch is versatile enough to be used for everything from filling our bellies to removing rust to making alcohol to…you get my point. 

Electricity or potatoes, all of these varieties of thought and people willing to think outside of what has been established, propel us forward toward better, best, and great!

My challenge to you

Surround yourself with people from a wide range of thoughts, cultures, races, and even politics. We need to be challenged. If you’re on a team, have a rotating member (not the same person all the time) be the naysayer. This practice allows the quiet team member to begin to think and engage with the team rather than just go along. And your usual naysayer will learn how to accept thoughts not his/her own. You and your team will be better for it.

I just experienced this myself when I invited my husband to critique this post. I cringed at some of his edits for sure but I understand the end result. Inviting differing persons and ideas into your life may at first feel unnatural, cause you to recoil into a defensive posture, but be patient. Listen. Understand. Think deeply.  After all, diversity is the spice of life.

Rosie White is a Library Services Paraprofessional with the SPC Libraries & Learning Resources team at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus.

Spring Into Art showcases student art

Libraries

The Learning Resources Center of St. Petersburg College, Tarpon Springs Campus, along with the Palm Harbor Library hosted its first annual student art show, Spring Into Art.

The heart design, which was used for the marketing of the art show, was a collaboration of 3D flowers made by staff members from both libraries. Each participant made a 3D flower, which was joined together into a structure of a heart.  The heart structure was chosen because libraries are the heart of our communities.

The scope of students from the local community included 9-12 grades and college students that either attend SPC or visit the Palm Harbor Library. The goal was to jury the submissions and then have the selected art on display at the Palm Harbor Library in March and then moved for display at St. Petersburg College in April. 

Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 outbreak and a stay-at-home order in place, the art show had to be delayed. Since the college is not reopening this semester, the art show was designed and shared virtually on the college’s Workplace platform and will be on display at the Palm Harbor Library for the entirety of June. Please be sure to check the Palm Harbor Library website for reopening hours and guidelines before your visit.

As you can see from the sampling in the header image, the fantastic artwork selected is very impressive. Our young artists with seasoned skills used several different mediums.

We hope you enjoy this inspirational art break.  Thank you to our talented artist.

Carol Coleman is a Senior Administrative Services Assistant with the St. Petersburg College Libraries & Learning Resources team.

Poems for Your Homes

Libraries, WebApproved

The art of poetry has been around since the moment we began to write on stone tablets and cave walls. From the scrolls of the prophecy to ancient China the written verse has played an integral part in our human condition.

We learn about Shakespeare in school and many of us are required to memorize certain passages or sonnets. Followed closely by poetry the balladeers and troubadours of the past put many famous poems and sonnets to song and traveled around the countryside singing these verses of love, loss, war, and sometimes bawdy humor in taverns and pubs across the land.

Not to downplay the utility and permanence of stone, we now have the ability to read these poems for ourselves from the comfort of our own homes without the need to venture to a dreary pub filled with miscreants and ne’er-do-wells. But our modern era hasn’t diminished the poignancy and relevancy of these poems, so, without further ado, we present a small list of poems for your home available in the SPC online library.

And one student even has a playlist to go with it for your listening pleasure.

The Classics

  • A group of poems by Robert Frost
  • Poems by T.S. Eliot
  • Collected Poems by Emily Dickinson

Contemporary Poets

  • Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
  • The Tennis Court Oath: A book of poems by John Ashbery
  • Loose Sugar by Bread Hillman

Storytelling Through Poems (narrative poetry)

  • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
  • Paradise Lost by John Milton
  • The Divine Comedy: Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Anthologies

  • The Poetry of Business Life: An Anthology by Ralph Windle
  • Israeli Poetry: A Contemporary Anthology; curated by Warren Bargad and Stanley F. Chyet
  • El Coro: A Chorus of Latino and Latina Poetry curated by Martin Espada

Why do we write Poetry?

  • Why We Write – streaming through the library
  • Want to write your own?
  • Poetry: the basics by Jeffery Wainwright
  • Poetry by John Strachan and Richard Terry


Eat Your Words; exceptional food novels

Libraries, WebApproved

By Rosie White

Eat your words. Really. It’s time to admit you may have been wrong about what those words mean. I mean, find a good book, and cook it. If you’re looking for something to do while limited to being indoors, I’d like to suggest some books and food novels with not just a good story, but also some good recipes that might be fun to try. Goodreads has a great list of them.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Access your library’s online resources. Plus, there are literally thousands of free books available to you all within reach of your smartphone, tablet or computer.  The following references will help get you started on setting up your own virtual library without spending a dime.

  1.  Download the “Kindle”, “Nook” and “Google Play Books” app.  These apps are all free to download and open the door to tons of free books.
  2. Go through the resources below and find what works for you and your student.

RESOURCES: