About the Observance

Each year, on 24 March, the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims is observed.

The purpose of the Day is to:

• Honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice;
• Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all;
• Recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assassinated on 24 March 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.

For more on this topic from the United Nations, click here.

Want to dig even deeper? Explore articles related to human rights in our library databases. Not sure where to start? Try doing a topic search in our Discovery Service using the main search box on the library home page.

Women's Rights are Human Rights

Continue the celebration of amazing women and learn more about challenges faced, struggles won, and ceilings shattered in award-winning films available through Kanopy. 

March 21st is the International Day of Forests!

Are you looking for something awesome to kick off your spring break? Well, why not celebrate the vital role that forests play in our environment, and raise awareness for the importance of protecting and preserving these treasures! 

Did you know that “the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012.”? Also, the day "celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests.” 

Check out more from the UNEP here.

Stop in and check out what physical items we have on this topic, or, learn more about the importance of forests from one of the many library databases provided by the UCC Library!

Watch films about forests with

• Kanopy or Films on Demand

Read eBooks about forests with

• eBook Academic Collection or OverDrive

Read articles from leading journals on forest with

• Environmental Studies and Policy, Gardening and Horticulture, Academic Search Complete, or many more options available here!

Teach kids about forests with

• Nat Geo Kids

Winter Term Reserve Items Due Soon 

Library reserve items (laptops, calculators, and ECE/HDFS textbooks) check out for one term at a time. This assures that the library is able to update all firmware, software, and keep collections accurate. This means that all library laptops, calculators, and textbooks are due on or before Friday, March 21, 2025.

If you need a library laptop, calculator, or ECE/HDFS textbook for Spring Term 2025, they will be available at the start of Spring Term (March 31, 2025). 

Students who do not return library laptops, calculators, and textbooks on or before the due date will have a hold placed on their student account and will be blocked from registering for Summer/Fall Term. In addition, they may be referred to a collection agency and charged a non-refundable fee of $250.

Want to avoid this hassle? Please return your library materials on or before Friday, March 21, 2025.

For further information about laptop circulation please see this page of the library website. 

March is Women's History Month!

National Women's History Month "is an American observance held during the month of March to recognize and celebrate women's contributions to culture, history, and society. It grew from International Women's Day , a global celebration of women's achievements celebrated each year on March 8, and the Women's History Week celebration, which was first held in Sonoma County, California, in 1978. In 1987, US Congress officially established the month of March as Women's National History Month (Harmon, 2025)". 

Learn more about Women's History Month by exploring the library databases on women such as Shirley Chisholm, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Marie Curie and so many more amazing women.

Watch Films with Kanopy

Check out some of the award-winning films available through Kanopy and learn more about amazing women throughout history.

Free Tax Help!

Employees from the Department of Revenue and volunteers from free tax assistance groups will be at the UCC Library, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday, February 28 to guide you through electronically filing your federal and state income taxes for free using the new IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon options.

Computers & WiFi

The UCC Library offers the use of public computers and WiFi internet connections. Demand for computers will be high, so you are encouraged to bring your own if you have one.

Mobile Phones & Tablets

Both IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon are mobile friendly, so you can complete your return on your phone or tablet, as well.

Further Information

For more information on this program, please click here.

Here are some helpful tips to make your experience as productive and enjoyable as possible: 

Tip 1: Use the IRS’s eligibility checker prior to coming to the library. https://directfile.irs.gov/ 

You will not be eligible if you have any income from these sources:  

• Foreign income,  

• Dividends or Capital Gains,  

• Retirement (retirement income not from an IRA will be eligible starting in March),  

• Self-Employment and Gig economy (Uber Eats, Door Dash),  

• Rental Income,  

• Gambling or Lottery. 

Tip 2: Create an ID.me account if you do not have one for IRS. https://directfile.irs.gov/ (Before you begin, take a clear photo of your ID and save to your photo library.)  Watch this 5 Easy Steps to Register an ID.me Account with IRS video to learn how.  

• You must be at least 18 years old to create an ID.me account.  

• Address and phone number are editable but not the email address. 

Tip 3: Create a Revenue Online account if you do not have one for Department of Revenue. https://www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/individuals/Pages/direct_file_OR.aspx Watch this How to Set Up and Log In to Your Revenue Online Account for Individuals video to learn how. 

Tip 4: You will need access to your smartphone (text message) or email for verification purposes for both ID.me and Revenue Online.  

Tip 5: Bring all eligible documents.  

• Forms W-2 (wages from a job) 

• Forms 1099-G, 1099-INT (other income) 

• Form 1099-R (retirement income other than IRAs) will be supported later in March. 

• Form SSA-1099 (Social Security benefits) 

• Alaska Permanent Fund Dividends 

• Social security card or individual tax identification number for everyone on your tax return 

• Government picture ID for taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly (driver's license or passport) 

• Canceled check or bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit. 

• Last year's tax return 

Tip 6: Live support is available from IRS staff, Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time inside IRS Direct File. If you have Oregon specific questions, please contact 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222, or email: questions.dor@dor.oregon.gov 

Malcolm X: Murder In New York

On February 21st in 1965, human rights activist, Malcolm X was assassinated.

We use this day to honor his legacy and as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality.

Learn more about Malcolm X's work from documentaries such as Malcolm X: Murder In New York via one of our streaming media databases, Kanopy.

Fun fact: Kanopy is available to be streamed on all your digital devices, see this document for instructions and guidelines on how to do this. Don't forget to log in using your UCC ID# for access.

 Making Black America: Through the Grapevine

This four-hour series, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chronicles the vast social networks and organizations created by and for Black people-beyond the reach of the “White gaze.” Gates takes viewers into an extraordinary world that showcases Black people’s ability to collectively prosper, defy white supremacy and define Blackness in ways that transformed America itself.

Check out the trailer below, an then head on over and watch the series via Films on Demand, one of the UCC Library's streaming databases.  

Watch the series today by clicking here. Don't forget to use your UCC ID# to log in and gain access.

February is Black History Month

In 1986 the United States Congress passed, and President Ronald Reagan signed, Public Law 99-244, which formally established Black History Month as a federally designated observance. The month is honored with historical, cultural, and educational presentations in several countries with substantial Black minority populations. In the United States, Black History Month (sometimes also known as African American History Month) is observed during the month of February (Issit, 2024). 

Explore eBooks such as this one, Freedom facts & firsts: 400 years of the African American civil rights experience, using the UCC Library Discovery Search. Come to the UCC Library to learn more about black individuals throughout history.

References

Issitt, M. (2024, November 26). Black history month: Overview. In Points of view. Great Neck.

Wynn, L. T. (2009). Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, March (1965). In Freedom facts & firsts: 400 years of the African American civil rights experience (pp. 68-70). Visible Ink Press.

January 27th is Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The Holocaust

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) defines the Holocaust as the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. During the Holocaust, German authorities targeted groups because of perceived racial and biological inferiority: Roma (Gypsies), people with disabilities, and those of Slavic background (Poles and Russians). Other groups persecuted on political, ideological, and behavioral grounds included Communists, Socialists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and those in the LGBTQ community.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Holocaust Remembrance Day is a solemn occasion to reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust and to strengthen our commitment to preventing such atrocities from ever occurring again. 

Explore articles and more using the Library Discovery Service to learn about Holocaust Remembrance.

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Gratitude beyond Measure

By Sarah Lyon

By Sarah Lyon

When they give you their sympathies,
You may smile and say thanks,

But they don’t know what you’ve seen.
They don’t know what you’ve lost,
they don’t understand the cost.

Family torn apart,
surviving with a broken heart.

Your story is an incredible one,
One we could only begin to imagine.
One that I can’t even fathom.
But your strength through it all
Is what really outshines and stands tall.

So to you I want to say, you’re amazing.
Thank you for sharing what you’ve seen,
even when you were at the tender age of a
teen.

For that time may have taken so much,
but I’m so glad we’re in touch.

References

Lincoln, M. (2020). Never a Bystander & Other Enduring Lessons for Holocaust Remembrance. Knowledge Quest, 49(2), 44–51.

Celebration!

Celebrate diversity, cultural traditions, and the impact of Muslim Americans throughout history.

Check out this brief article celebrating Muslim American Heritage Month from Gale OneFile News, one of our many library databases! 

Want to learn more about different countries and their cultures? Check out Global Road Warrior, one of the many databases provided to you by the UCC Library. With Global Road Warrior you can easily learn about different countries, their culture, and their customs. You can even find recipes, business etiquette, languages spoken, country demographics and statistics, ethnic groups, stereotypes, society and culture, and lots more!