What's New at the UCC Library?

Wait! We have one more holiday to celebrate before we enter the winter season! Red Planet Day is today

and commemorates the launch of the Spacecraft Mariner 4 by NASA in 1946, which was the first craft ever to reach Mars. 

Enjoy these selected books about the red planet, the other planets in our solar system, and astronomy. If space is what ignites your passion, then talk to a library staff member about other out of this world books! 

The Planet Mars by William Sheehan

ISBN: 9780816516414

Publication Date: 1996-09-01

Twenty years after the Viking missions of the '70s, we are finally going back to Mars. No fewer than ten missions are planned for the period between 1996 and 2003, and it is likely that human explorers will follow soon after--perhaps by the middle of the twenty-first century. When they do, they will owe much to the Mars of romance, to the early pioneers whose discoveries and disappointments are brought to life in The Planet Mars: A History of Observation and Discovery. In this timely and vividly written account, William Sheehan traces human fascination with Mars back to the naked-eye observers of the planet. He recalls the early telescopic observers who first made out enigmatic markings and polar caps on its surface. Through lively historical anecdotes, he describes in detail the debate over the so-called canals of Mars, which encouraged speculation that the planet might be inhabited. Finally, Sheehan describes more recent theories about the planet, leading up to the present, when unmanned spacecraft have enabled us to make giant strides in exploration. Well documented and sparked with human interest, this book will be a useful companion and guide in interpreting the barrage of headlines about Mars that is sure to come over the next few years. Amateurs will appreciate the contributions that have been made to Martian studies by people like themselves, and professionals will find much original material that has never before been published. The American Mars Global Surveyor is scheduled for launch in November 1996, and soon after the American Mars Pathfinder will make its way toward the red planet. A Russian mission consisting of an orbiter and two landers will be launched in October 1997. These space travelers will write a whole new chapter in the dramatic story of Mars, a planet whose exploration has only just begun. Astronomy Book Club main selection and selections of Book-of-the-Month Club and Quality Paperback Book Club.

 

The Planets by DK

ISBN: 9781465424648

Publication Date: 2014-08-18

Discover places where a day is longer than a year, where hailstones are made of diamonds, and where a mountain looms twice the size of Everest.   These and more are all to be found in The Planets. The Sun's gravity holds in thrall eight planets, each with an entourage of moons, as well as dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets. The Planets takes you on a dazzling visual tour. From the Solar System's fiery heart, travel to rocky worlds such as tiny Mercury scorched by the Sun. Then witness Venus swathed in a sulfurous haze, and go to the outer reaches to visit planets such as gas giant Jupiter, which is 120 times the size of Earth. Using 3-D models and photography from NASA and the European Space Agency, The Planets describes each one, as well as the extraordinary endeavors of space exploration.  Edited by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock, this book is enthralling reading for everyone interested in astronomy and space exploration.

 

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide by Terence Dickinson; Alan Dyer

ISBN: 9781552095072

Publication Date: 2002-11-02

The modern classic, completely updated. The newest edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide includes the latest data and answers the questions most often asked by home astronomers, from beginners to experienced stargazers. Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer provide expert guidance on the right types of telescopes and other equipment; photographing the stars through a telescope; and star charts, software and other references. They cover daytime and twilight observing, planetary and deep-sky observing, and much more. With over 500 color photographs and illustrations, The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is one of the most valuable, beautiful and user-friendly astronomy books ever produced. New and updated for this edition: A 20-page full-color Atlas of the Milky Way provides location and context for hundreds of celestial objects mentioned throughout the book. A chapter on Astrophotography with Digital Cameras specifies what equipment works best and how to use it to collect a color gallery of celestial portraits. Telescopes for Recreational Astronomy features assessments of a wide range of new telescopes, from models for beginners to those for veteran astronomy enthusiasts, with special emphasis on computerized telescopes and how they work. Accessory Catalog spotlights the best of the accessories and flags the frivolous and irrelevant. Three practical appendices: Polar Aligning Your Telescope; Optics Cleaning and Collimation; Testing Your Telescope Optics. Any serious home astronomer must have this superb guide as an ongoing reference.

The Sue Shaffer Learning Commons and Library hours will differ this week due to the Thanksgiving Day holiday. 

• Monday and Tuesday: Normal hours, 7:45am - 6:00pm 
• Wednesday: 7:45am - 5:00pm 
• Thursday and Friday: Closed 
• Saturday and Sunday: Closed 

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving! 

Today is the last day before the holiday weekend. For the last book, we look back to the first world war which officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28th, 1919. However, hostilities ended earlier on November 11th, 1918. As such, the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour is regarded as the end of 'the war to end all wars.' If you want to look through the history of this event, the library recommends World War I: the definitive visual history from Sarajevo to Versailles by R.G. Grant. 

World War I by R. G. Grant

ISBN: 9781465419385

Publication Date: 2014-04-21

2014 marks the centennial of the start of World War I -- DK will mark the occasion with the publication of World War I: The Definitive Visual Guide, a vividly illustrated, in-depth account of the Great War. Written by historian R. G. Grant, and created by DK's award-winning editorial and design team, World War I charts the developments of the war from a global perspective. Using illustrated timelines, detailed maps, and personal accounts, readers will see the oft-studied war in a new light. Key episodes are set clearly in the wider context of the conflict, in-depth profiles look at the key generals and political leaders, and full-color photo galleries showcase the weapons, inventions, and new technologies that altered the course of history. A vivid portrait of the confrontation on land, sea, and sky, World War I: The Definitive Visual Guide offers readers a bold and thoughtful new look at this complex and explosive moment in history.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are nearly two million living women veterans in the United States, making up approximately 10% of the total veteran population. In recognition of these women, the library recommends When Janey Comes Marching Home by Laura Browder with photographs by Sascha Pflaeging. 

When Janey Comes Marching Home by Laura Browder; Sascha Pflaeging

ISBN: 9780807833803

Publication Date: 2010-05-01

While women are officially barred from combat in the American armed services, in the current war, where there are no front lines, the ban on combat is virtually meaningless. More than in any previous conflict in our history, American women are engaging with the enemy, suffering injuries, and even sacrificing their lives in the line of duty. When Janey Comes Marching Home juxtaposes forty-eight photographs by Sascha Pflaeging with oral histories collected by Laura Browder to provide a dramatic portrait of women at war. Women from all five branches of the military share their stories here--stories that are by turns moving, comic, thought-provoking, and profound. Seeing their faces in stunning color photographic portraits and reading what they have to say about loss, comradeship, conflict, and hard choices will change the ways we think about women and war. Serving in a combat zone is an all-encompassing experience that is transformative, life-defining, and difficult to leave behind. By coming face-to-face with women veterans, we who are outside that world can begin to get a sense of how the long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have shaped their lives and how their stories may ripple out and influence the experiences of all American women. The book accompanies a photography exhibit of the same name opening May 1, 2010, at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, and continuing to travel around the country through 2011.

At the end of this week there is a holiday, Veterans Day, and as we take a break from being on campus, let us also take a moment to reflect on those individuals who served in the armed service. Starting today and continuing until Thursday, the library will be highlighting a book from our collection relating to veterans and the wars and conflicts that they have or currently live through. Today’s book is For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism, and Sacrifice by Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasenkaran. 

For Love of Country by Howard Schultz; Rajiv Chandrasekaran

ISBN: 9781101872826

Publication Date: 2015-10-27

The remarkable stories in For Love of Country aim to bridge the divide in our society between our civilian and military populations, shattering stereotypes of our veterans as broken, angry, and needy by highlighting the power of their experiences and their profound devotion to their country. The first half of this extraordinary book honors acts of remarkable valor in Iraq and Afghanistan, including an army sergeant who runs into a hail of gunfire multiple times to protect his comrades; two marines who chose to stand and defend their outpost from an oncoming truck bomb rather than run to safety; and a sixty-year-old doctor who joined the navy after his son was killed at war and saved the lives of dozens of people. The second half showcases how post-9/11 veterans are plowing their leadership skills and commitment to service into initiatives to strengthen and rebuild our nation. Among them are former soldiers who help residents dig out after natural disasters, a general seeking to find new ways to treat brain injuries, and an army spouse who is helping wives whose husbands have lost multiple limbs in war. We see the challenges some of our returning troops face--joblessness, homelessness, post-traumatic stress--but we also learn of the remarkable skills, and courage, they have acquired.