What's New at the UCC Library?

Early Detection Saves Lives

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to promote early detection, education, and support for those affected by breast cancer. At the UCC Library, we provide access to trusted academic resources to help you stay informed. Whether you're researching for an assignment or want to learn more for personal interest, our databases offer reliable, up to date information.

Explore Key Resources:

CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
Find nursing-focused articles like: Advances in breast cancer screening and prevention from Contemporary OB/GYN or Mitigating Disparities in Breast Cancer Among Black Women from Building Professionals.

Health and Medicine (Gale OneFile)
Access articles that are raising awareness: Breast cancer in men: the importance of teaching and raising awareness.

Kanopy and Films on Demand

Watch documentaries such as Beauty and the Breast and Breast Cancer.

Come Browse our Collection

Read books in the library such as: ‪Stop breast cancer before it starts by Samuel S. Epstein, and ‪Living well beyond breast cancer: a survivor's guide for when treatment ends and the rest of your life begins by Marisa C. Weiss and Ellen Weiss‬‎. We also have eBooks through our databases such as ‪Black Women and Breast Cancer : A Cultural Theology by Elizabeth A. Williams. and for those who are studying to be in the medical field: ‪Breast Cancer: Visual Guide for Clinicians by MD Barber, J StJ Thomas, and JM Dixon.

You can access these resources through our Library Databases A-Z or ask library staff for help finding what you need. Let’s use this month to raise awareness, empower ourselves with knowledge, and support those impacted by breast cancer.

Riverhawk Book Talk Book Club

Love books? Join us for a relaxed, no pressure chat about whatever you're reading! No assigned books, just good conversation and great recommendations.

No assigned books. No pressure. Just good conversation.
Open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Next meeting: Friday, October 24th
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Location: Library Innovation Room

Don't forget to sign up here.

And don't forget to stop in during library hours and see our new exhibit: The Black Pioneers

Check out our calendar of library events here.

What is Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Held in the last week of September or first week of October, the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas. 

2025 Banned Books Week Theme: “Censorship Is So 1984 — Read for Your Rights.” 

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country. 

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2024:

(the 2025 list will come out in April of 2026)

1. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/allboysBR
2. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/genderBR
3. (TIE) The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/bluestBR
4. (TIE) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/wallflowerBR
5. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/tricksBR
6. (TIE) Looking for Alaska by John Green
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/alaskaBR
7. (TIE) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/earlBR
8. (TIE) Crank by Ellen Hopkins
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/crankBR
9. (TIE) Sold by Patricia McCormick
   Why this book matters: bit.ly/soldBR
10. Flamer by Mike Curato
    Why this book matters: bit.ly/flamerBR

The most common justifications for censorship provided by complainants were false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and covering topics of race, racism, equity, and social justice.

Fresh Reads

Discover What's New This Summer!

Our New Books section is overflowing with fresh reads just in time for your summer adventures! We've recently added over 100 new titles, and there are more on the way.

Whether you're looking to dive into a gripping novel, learn something new with a thought-provoking nonfiction title, or relax with a beautifully illustrated graphic novel — we've got something for everyone. Our new arrivals include:

• Fiction –  The Vegetarian by Han Kang is a haunting surreal novel about a woman who stops eating meat and how that decision upends her life and those around her. Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson is a fast-paced thriller about a dormant volcano in Hawaii that suddenly threatens to explode. 

• Non-Fiction – Explore history, science, memoirs, and more. Finding Your Style in Pastel by Jean Hirons, is a hands-on guide to pastel painting that helps artists build skills while discovering their own unique artistic voice. Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in our Schools, by Kass Minor, offers powerful insights and practical tools for educators committed to bringing joy and justice into classrooms- despite the challenges of and inequitable system.

• Graphic Novels – For teens, adults, and fans of visual storytelling. We are excited to feature new takes on classic tales alongside powerful new stories in our latest collection. Fahrenheit 451, originally written by Ray Bradbury and reimagined by Tim Hamilton, following fireman Guy Montag as he begins to question a world where books are banned and burned. The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel, illustrated by Sammy Savos, tells the true story of a young Jewish girl who survived the Holocaust by hiding and finding hope through song.

• Children’s Books – Perfect picks for young readers and family reading time. Jump into Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby — a funny and heartwarming tale of an unlikely friendship between a grumpy chicken and an enthusiastic worm as they learn to embrace their differences.

Be sure to stop by our New Books display and find your next favorite read. And don't forget — more books are arriving soon, so check back often!

Summer Hours

Also, don’t miss our updated summer hours:

 Monday - Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

 Friday-Sunday: Closed

National Gardening Month

“April showers, bring May Flowers” that is because April is National Gardening Month.

This month is a time to start planning your gardens and making them fruitful. We have many books to help you start planning your flower or vegetable garden, such as “Starter Vegetable Gardens”.

Watch shows such as the “Science of Gardening” which is available via Kanopy to help you learn how to get started! Also check our databases for more articles to help plant those wonderful gardens.

Looking for tips on how to get your children involved? Try reading this article by Sharon Cornwall, “Gardening with Children." Want to learn to garden in a new way? Check out “Planting by the Moons Phase” published in the 2025 Old Farmer's Almanac available via Gardening and Horticulture (a Gale OneFile database).

It's (very nearly) Inventory Time Again!

Who will be involved with this?

Library Staff are gearing up for our second annual library collection inventory. We will be physically scanning every single item in our library collection. We will also be reaching out to individuals who have items checked out to ensure they are aware of them.

What we need from you!

We are asking you (faculty, staff, students, and community members alike), to see if you have any library items that are past due. If so, please return them to the library as soon as possible. Books can always be returned via our external book drop (in the parking lot), and everything (books, laptops, calculators, etc…) can be returned to our library circulation desk during our regular library hours. 

When will this happen?

The inventory will take place during the month of May. It should not interrupt our normal operations, and we will remain open during our regular library hours. 

Why does this need to be done?

This helps us maintain an accurate list of all library materials currently owned by the college. It also helps us to identify gaps in our collection, and informs us what we need to purchase in the upcoming fiscal year.

Stay tuned for the next update!

What is Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a suddent surge in the number of challenges in libraries, bookstores, and schools. By focusing on efforts to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. 

The theme for Banned Books Week 2024 (September 22-28) is “Freed Between the Lines.” 

We can find freedom in the pages of a book – but book bans and censorship threaten that freedom, along with many other rights and institutions. During the Banned Books Week, let's share our love of right to read and the freedom found in books. Let's be Freed Between the Lines!

https://www.ala.org/bbooks/banned