Help! I can't afford my books!

You are NOT alone!

There are a lot of CIA students who cannot afford to purchase required or recommended reading materials for their classes. The library wants to help you find the materials you need to be successful in your classes at CIA.

Here are a few things you should definitely do:

1. Check the library

• See if the library already has a copy of your textbook. The easiest way to see if we have a copy is to use Primo (the library's discovery service) to look for the book. 
• It's possible that your faculty member put the book on course reserves in the library. That means we have a copy of the book in our library that you can use for three hours at a time in the library. If your textbook is not on course reserves, let us know! We will put it on reserve so that it's available for you and your classmates. Log on to Canvas and check the library's page in Canvas for links to our course reserves. Tip: if the page is blank, then you need to log into Canvas.
• Need help? No problem. Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need. Contact us!

2. Ask your professor...

• if an older, less expensive edition is similar enough for you to use.
• to check with the CIA Library about putting a copy on course reserves OR to ask the library to purchase a copy for course reserves
• to check with the library director about free and/or affordable course material alternatives

3. Get creative!

• Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need without spending a lot of money! Contact us!
• Check Ohiolink to see if you can get a copy from another library. Remember to ask us for help if you don't know how to do this!
• Look for used copies or rentals online.
• Borrow or share with a friend.

4. Advocate for yourself and for other students!

Tell anyone and everyone about the issue. They need to know about the problem before they can help fix it. There are alternatives and we all need to work together to make learning materials more affordable!

Credit: This is a derivative of Help! I can't afford my books! (rb.gy/3imwp) by JMU Libraries, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY). Thank you to Liz Thompson at JMU Libraries.

The library was very busy this summer and there are some big changes we want to let you know about!

1. Our new library system is up and running! After several years of work, we are fully migrated to our new system. Our new discovery service, Primo, is really great and we think you will love it. If you want to learn more about the system OR you need help navigating it, please schedule a consultation with a librarian today. We can meet with you in-person or virtually and give you an introduction to Primo or answer your specific questions.

To schedule an appointment, please visit https://cia.libcal.com/appointments. There will also be a faculty-only online session on September 25. Please register for that session if you are an interested faculty member. 

2. The library now has access to Libby. Libby is an easy to use app that allows you to access ebooks and audiobooks anywhere, anytime. If you use Libby with your public library, you can add our library to your account. We provide access to a wide array of academic resources on Libby, including lots of classic literature. 

3. You asked and we were able to make it happen! The library has three beanbag chairs now! They are located in the back of the library by the group study room. We've already spotted students using them. Stop by and take a break! 

Now that the library is live with our new system, our New Books LibGuide is back! Check back every month to see the new books we added in the previous month. 

Sage Skills: Business and Sage Skills: Student Success

The library is proud to offer access to two new resources from Sage. 

Now more than ever, it is essential for students to connect with resources designed to help them attain the skills they need for current and future success. Sage Skills: Student Success and Sage Business Skills offer students a self-guided journey to practice and master the in-demand skill sets of the modern workforce.  Together, the Sage Skills suite provides a flexible and engaging learning journey through themed modules that incorporate self-assessments, interactive scenarios, downloadable exercises, original videos, embedded datasets, and more. These tools combined with authoritative written material create a scholarly environment where students and faculty can independently navigate thousands of skills that will aid them in their academic and future careers. Faculty can link and embed skills and topics into Canvas, too! 

Sage Skills: Business

Sage Skills: Business enables students to develop and practice real-world skills needed to successfully transition from campus to the modern workplace. This interactive digital resource features both academic and practitioner experts in a library of flexible learning tracks and offers students a self-guided journey to gain skill sets essential for professional success. Our access includes the following modules:

• Data Analytics
• Entrepreneurship
• Leadership
• Organizational Communication
• Professionalism

Sage Skills: Student Success

Sage Skills: Student Success enables students to develop and practice the skills needed to thrive at college or university. This interactive digital resource features the work of a diverse set of academic experts to help undergraduates achieve academic and personal success. It builds foundational skills for undergraduate students, including critical thinking, research, writing, evaluating information, finding and using data, study and communication skills, and how to apply academic skills in the workplace. Our access includes the following modules:

• Academic Integrity and Referencing
• Academic Writing
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Data Literacy
• Diversity, Bias, and Impacting Change
• Information Literacy
• Personal Development and Well-Being
• Research Skills
• Study Strategies and Assignments

Help! I can't afford my books!

You are NOT alone!

There are a lot of CIA students who cannot afford to purchase required or recommended reading materials for their classes. The library wants to help you find the materials you need to be successful in your classes at CIA.

Here are a few things you should definitely do:

1. Check the library

• See if the library already has a copy of your textbook. The easiest way to see if we have a copy is to use Quick Search (aka EBSCO Discovery) to look for the book. 
• It's possible that your faculty member put the book on course reserves in the library. That means we have a copy of the book in our library that you can use for three hours at a time in the library. If your textbook is not on course reserves, let us know! We will put it on reserve so that it's available for you and your classmates. Log on to Canvas and check the library's page in Canvas for links to our course reserves. Tip: if the page is blank, then you need to log into Canvas.
• Need help? No problem. Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need. Contact us!

2. Ask your professor...

• if an older, less expensive edition is similar enough for you to use.
• to check with the CIA Library about putting a copy on course reserves OR to ask the library to purchase a copy for course reserves
• to check with the library director about free and/or affordable course material alternatives

3. Get creative!

• Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need without spending a lot of money! Contact us!
• Check Ohiolink to see if you can get a copy from another library. Remember to ask us for help if you don't know how to do this!
• Look for used copies or rentals online.
• Borrow or share with a friend.

4. Advocate for yourself and for other students!

Tell anyone and everyone about the issue. They need to know about the problem before they can help fix it. There are alternatives and we all need to work together to make learning materials more affordable!

Credit: This is a derivative of Help! I can't afford my books! (rb.gy/3imwp) by JMU Libraries, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY). Thank you to Liz Thompson at JMU Libraries.

Don't forget that the library's digital resources are available even when the library is closed. Check out Kanopy for thousands of films to watch from home. 

Want to get better at talking color while having a great time? Hues and Cues is a game for 3-10 players that challenges your ability to make connections to colors with words. Using only one and two-word cues, try to get your friends to guess a specific color from the 480 on the game board. Hues and Cues won the 2020 Dice Tower's Party Game of the Year. Check it out at the library!

New month, new books

Did you know you can get a list of all the new books we've added to the library each month? Our New Books LibGuide is updated monthly with a full list of all the books we've added during the previous month. Find your next inspiration.

Check out our updated Voting Information Guide!

The library has a tradition of participating in National Voter Registration Day activities, including registering students to vote. But did you know that in the November 2023 election, less than half of registered voters in Ohio actually voted? This year, we want to do more than just register voters. We want to help you make your voting plan! We have a printable worksheet to help make your voting plan and we will help you make your plan. 

Why should you vote?

Voting is crucial for artists, designers, and students as it ensures your voice is heard and helps to shape the future policies that directly impact your education, your career, your overall quality of life, as well as the lives of your family, friends, colleagues, and community. The Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library is committed to ensuring that everyone at CIA who is eligible to vote is not only registered to vote, but also makes voting a habit for life!

Come to the library before November 5, 2024 for assistance with registering to vote, checking voter registrations, requesting absentee ballots, answering questions about voting, envelopes and postage for election related mail addressed to students' boards of elections.

Our Voting Information Guide has been updated for the November General Election and has a ton of new information. Voting is easy, but if you haven't voted before, you may be nervous or unsure of how it works. The guide aims to answer as many questions as possible, while also linking you to all the information you need to be a voter this November. 

Please come by the library to register to vote, get help requesting absentee ballots, completing a voting plan that works for YOU and SO MUCH MORE. We have pre-printed absentee ballot applications, envelopes, stamps (for election related mail), and people who know how to answer your voting questions. 

The library is happy to announce that we now provide access to Stash Media. Stash Media is the only streaming platform to showcase exceptional motion design, animation, and VFX projects and the people who create them. 

The Stash Permanent Collection provides access to a constantly growing archive of thousands of motion projects, as well as behind the scenes features and exclusive interviews.

The Stash News Site is the go to site for tens of thousands of creatives to keep on top of the talent, trends, and techniques powering the motion design industry. Visit regularly and make Stash a part of your regular inspiration viewing. There is also a job site listing design, animation, and VFX jobs with top studios. 

Stash recognizes CIA’s IP addresses. To access the full site, just click “sign in” at the top right. 

Artstor is now available in its new home on JSTOR! When you search JSTOR, you will find Artstor’s 2+ million licensed images and more than 1,700 additional primary source collections alongside JSTOR’s vast collection of books, journal articles, and research reports. And, with JSTOR’s unique Workspace tool, you can easily save, organize, and teach with Arstor images alongside other JSTOR content in one convenient workflow.

On August 1, 2024, the legacy Artstor website will be retired. If you use Artstor, you’re invited to get started on JSTOR now – check out the Artstor on JSTOR welcome page for everything you need to make your move. If you’ve never used Artstor before, now is a great time to try it out. Visit the Artstor on JSTOR LibGuide, or jump right in with an image search. We also have a guide that will tell you about ALL of the images on JSTOR. If you still have questions, please contact the library! 

Happy Pride Month, CIA! This month our display features books, eBooks and videos celebrating LGBTQIA+ Pride! For more information, visit the pride display LibGuide and be sure to stop by the display in the front hallway!

Student Success Librarian Jackie Mayse recently sat down with faculty member Beth Hoag to discuss her experiences transitioning to the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) in her classes at CIA. Thank you, Beth for sharing your journey with OER-enabled pedagogy!

Can you introduce yourself? What is your role at CIA?

Sure. I'm Beth Hoag and as of this year I am a Senior Professor of Practice in the Liberal Arts Department. Prior to this year, I was a full-time lecturer for four years, and before that I was an adjunct. In total, I have been here for almost 10 years. 

Can you tell me about your journey in OER-enabled pedagogy in your classes?

As the only Anthropologist and faculty member teaching anthropology at CIA, I have always designed my own curriculum which gives me a wide latitude to pick books that I think are most appropriate for my courses. When I started ten years ago, I was using commercially available textbooks, but I quickly looked around to find the best textbook available that was reasonably priced or was easily accessible as a used book. The cost of textbooks has always bothered me, especially since my students are unlikely to use an Anthropology textbook again for another course. Later on, maybe the second or third year here, I worked with the publisher of two textbooks to offer an unbound copy through the bookstore. That saved students a bit of money and was the beginning of my thinking about how to make textbooks more affordable.

How long ago did you start adopting OERs in your classes?

The first time that I really thought about an open access book was when the American Anthropological Association, and the Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges, worked together to put out a first of its kind open access Cultural Anthropology textbook. An Open Invitation to Cultural Anthropology was first published in 2017 and is now in its second edition.

What motivated you to try this approach?

I decided to switch to open access textbooks in my classes when those two books became available. I have always been concerned with the cost burden of textbooks to students and an open access textbook solved that issue. Students can access them at no cost. I also like that Open Access textbooks are edited by many different people. So, although it's a single book, there's a wide variety of authors, points of view, and perspectives. Representation of diverse voices was important to me and motivated me to use open access books. 

How has the library played a role in you adopting OERs in your classes?

Through working with Laura, I realized that there were eBooks that could be accessed through the library that I could use in my classes. These weren't textbooks but books that the publisher provided access to through the library. So these weren't necessarily open access, but I started using them because they are available through the library at no additional cost to students. When I realized that these books could be accessed through the library, I began to think "How can I design an entire syllabus and reading selection for courses that don't rely on a textbook?". Currently, three of my courses are designed around resources that are solely accessed through the library. 

Also, the work of Jackie Lagunzad, who manages course reserves for faculty, has been phenomenal. In my Canvas course reserve, everything in my syllabus is listed in the order that we read it with the permalinks. Truly, the support I have received from the library is phenomenal. 

If you could give one piece of advice to other faculty members trying to implement OER materials in their classes, what would it be? 

I think an initial small step, and this is always going to be discipline specific, is to first of all see if your textbook can be replaced with something else. That's either an OER or pieced together. There are a lot of places that may not have an entire textbook, but might have resources that can be replaced. So I think, first and foremost is looking through your discipline to see who is out there doing that kind of work. I would also suggest that you talk to Laura and the Library staff to see what other resources are accessible to your students.

As we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to share about OER textbooks?

I just think that people shouldn't be afraid of it. It's really amazing. Taking a little bit of time or to work with our librarians, to find out what resources are available. Because the benefits for ourselves and our students, I think far outweigh the time or any negative. I can't even think of a real negative. What would not be right with using free and openly accessible textbooks? It also democratizes education a little bit, it diversifies voices, it supports students by not charging them more money. There's really, I don't think, any single downside.

Notes: 

In our discussion Beth talks about the use of open access textbooks (OERs), as well as eBooks and articles accessed through the library. The materials accessed through the library are examples of affordable learning resources, and are not open educational resources (OERs).

The open-access textbooks Beth uses in her classes are:

• Perspectives: An Open Invitation to Cultural Anthropology, first published in 2017, now in its second edition

• Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, first published in 2019, also in its second edition

• Gendered Lives: Global Issues, for her gender class, published in 2022

The library is celebrating Women's History Month this March with a display showcasing print books discussing the work of women in art from the CIA Library collection.

Learn more about the titles in this display by visiting our Library Displays LibGuide!

When you visit our guide, you can also see additional titles from past displays and see more titles from our eBook collection.

Help! I can't afford my books!

You are NOT alone!

There are a lot of CIA students who cannot afford to purchase required or recommended reading materials for their classes. The library wants to help you find the materials you need to be successful in your classes at CIA.

Here are a few things you should definitely do:

1. Check the library

• See if the library already has a copy of your textbook. The easiest way to see if we have a copy is to use Quick Search (aka EBSCO Discovery) to look for the book. 
• It's possible that your faculty member put the book on course reserves in the library. That means we have a copy of the book in our library that you can use for three hours at a time in the library. If your textbook is not on course reserves, let us know! We will put it on reserve so that it's available for you and your classmates. Log on to Canvas and check the library's page in Canvas for links to our course reserves. Tip: if the page is blank, then you need to log into Canvas.
• Need help? No problem. Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need. Contact us!

2. Ask your professor...

• if an older, less expensive edition is similar enough for you to use.
• to check with the CIA Library about putting a copy on course reserves OR to ask the library to purchase a copy for course reserves
• to check with the library director about free and/or affordable course material alternatives

3. Get creative! 

• Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need without spending a lot of money! Contact us!
• Check Ohiolink to see if you can get a copy from another library. Remember to ask us for help if you don't know how to do this!
• Look for used copies or rentals online.
• Borrow or share with a friend.

4. Advocate for yourself and for other students!

Tell anyone and everyone about the issue. They need to know about the problem before they can help fix it. There are alternatives and we all need to work together to make learning materials more affordable!

Credit: This is a derivative of Help! I can't afford my books! (rb.gy/3imwp) by JMU Libraries, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY). Thank you to Liz Thompson at JMU Libraries.

Faculty Workshop - Affordable Learning & OER at CIA (ONLINE)

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

11:00am - 11:45am

Affordable Learning Initiatives look to reduce costs for students by substituting low-cost or no-cost resources in place of high-price commercial textbooks. Examples include:

• Using existing Open Educational Resources (OER) for course instruction and/or modifying/enhancing existing resources.
• Creating OER that can be used by students you are teaching or by other instructors or scholars.
• Using library-licensed materials, including books, eBooks, and electronic journal and magazine articles for course instruction, or making use of library physical and electronic reserves. These materials have already been purchased by libraries or institutions, but are no additional cost to students.

This CIA faculty only workshop will review the options for faculty and help find ebooks, streaming videos, articles, and OERs (including grant funding!) that you can use to help reduce the cost of learning for your students, while increasing success and equity. 

Register for the Zoom link.

Banned Books Week is October 1-7. The week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. Between January 1 - August 31, 2023, The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) documented challenges to 1,915 unique titles - a 20% increase from the same reporting period in 2022, which saw the highest number of book challenges since ALA began compiling the data more than 20 years ago. The theme for Banned Books Week 2023 is "Let Freedom Read. When we ban books, we're closing off readers to people, places, and perspectives. But when we stand up for stories, we unleash the power that lies inside every book. We liberate the array of voices that need to be heard and the scenes that need to be seen. Let freedom read! (Source: ALA.org)

To commemorate, CIA Gund Library will display banned and challenged books from our collection throughout the month of October. See our Library Displays Guide for more info. Please stop by to learn more about banned books!

New Display this September!

We look at the 2023 summer reading book, Ready Player One, exploring themes throughout the book. Virtual reality, nostalgia, the metaverse, 1980s American advertisements... See it all and more in our new hall display!

In addition to our hall display, a concurrent in-library display will have additional print and digital resources.

A full list of books in the display can be found at our CIA Library Displays LibGuide.

Additional resources can also be found on our Summer Reading LibGuide.

Help! I can't afford my books!

You are NOT alone!

There are a lot of CIA students who cannot afford to purchase required or recommended reading materials for their classes. The library wants to help you find the materials you need to be successful in your classes at CIA.

Here are a few things you should definitely do:

1. Check the library

• See if the library already has a copy of your textbook. The easiest way to see if we have a copy is to use Quick Search (aka EBSCO Discovery) to look for the book. 
• It's possible that your faculty member put the book on course reserves in the library. That means we have a copy of the book in our library that you can use for three hours at a time in the library. If your textbook is not on course reserves, let us know! We will put it on reserve so that it's available for you and your classmates. Log on to Canvas and check the library's page in Canvas for links to our course reserves. Tip: if the page is blank, then you need to log into Canvas.
• Need help? No problem. Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need. Contact us!

2. Ask your professor...

• if an older, less expensive edition is similar enough for you to use.
• to check with the CIA Library about putting a copy on course reserves OR to ask the library to purchase a copy for course reserves
• to check with the library director about free and/or affordable course material alternatives

3. Get creative! 

• Stop by the library, start a chat, email us or call us on the phone. We want to help you find the materials you need without spending a lot of money! Contact us!
• Check Ohiolink to see if you can get a copy from another library. Remember to ask us for help if you don't know how to do this!
• Look for used copies or rentals online.
• Borrow or share with a friend.

4. Advocate for yourself and for other students!

Tell anyone and everyone about the issue. They need to know about the problem before they can help fix it. There are alternatives and we all need to work together to make learning materials more affordable!

Credit: This is a derivative of Help! I can't afford my books! (rb.gy/3imwp) by JMU Libraries, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY). Thank you to Liz Thompson at JMU Libraries.

The World at Your Fingertips

Diverse communities and major global events have expanded each of our personal world views and increased our need for understanding a wide array of cultures.

CultureGrams Online includes 4 separate editions in one engaging, responsively-designed interface that can be accessed anywhere, anytime from the CIA Library. 

• World Edition contains primary-source reports on 209 countries and territories—including every United Nations-member state—focusing on 25 cultural categories, including language, personal appearance, greetings, visiting, family, life cycle, and more.
• States and Provinces Editions feature colorful, easy-to-read reports that describe the culture and history of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and all 13 provinces of Canada. Each report includes maps, flags, and symbols, as well as sections on history, economy, geography, population, indigenous peoples, and recipes. Perfect for state or provincial reports or rubrics.
• Kids Edition teaches upper-elementary- and middle school-age children more about the world around them. Each report contains images, historical timelines, and fun facts, along with sections on history, population, “life as a kid,” games and sports, education, and more.

We are glad to announce that we now have access to Science News and New Scientist on Flipster. These two magazines were in our top ten list of magazines used last year, so we know that you will all enjoy having direct access to every issue as they come out. 

Remember when you'd get new shoes and a new outfit for the school year? Well, our Quick Search (a.k.a. EBSCO Discovery Service) and our EBSCOhost Databases have a fresh new look for the start of the school year!

We will be sharing more information about the changes and new features soon! For now, you can continue to search like you always have. It just looks a little different and it has some neat new features that you will enjoy. 

Stay tuned for more information! 

New Database

Founded by Hilton Kramer and Samuel Lipman in 1982, The New Criterion is a publication of criticism that centers around cultural, artistic, and political criticism. Check out the New Criterion on Flipster, where you can glean inspiration from and dive into stimulating intellectual discussions! Also check out the back issues we have available in print!

Throughout the rest of summer break, the library presents two new displays in our hallway case, focused on the following themes:

• "Disability Pride Month", as July marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• "The USA", reflecting on the country during its birthday month.

Visit the displays in-person or online to find resources that contribute to conversations surrounding these two topics.

And stay tuned later in August for our 2023-24 back-to-school display!

Animation Magazine is a periodical where you can find the latest news in the animation industry. Stay informed about the latest technology, VFX, and so much more by accessing Animation Magazine through Flipster. You can also browse the back issues that we have available in the library!

Want to read our magazines on the go? Check out Flipster: a website and app where you can access the library’s magazine subscriptions. Even though we have a plethora of magazines in print at the library, on Flipster we have other magazines that we don’t carry in print. Such as the New Yorker, the Atlantic and Cleveland Magazine. To access Flipster: 

1. Go to cia.edu/library 

2. Click “more resources”

3. Click “A-Z resources” 

4. Search for “flipster” in the search bar to the right 

Throughout June, the library commemorates Juneteenth and LGBTQ+ Pride Month in our hallway display, showcasing library resources, both print and digital, that represent the people we celebrate this month.

Our in-library display, ongoing throughout summer, finds resources that explore our surroundings and create new ones through maps and art. These resources can be found on our display table next to Tech Services and are available to check out.

You can also check out our Library Displays LibGuide for current and past display bibliographies with links to access digital resources in just a few clicks.

European Photography is an independent international magazine that has been highlighting contemporary photography and new media since 1980. They provide interviews with today’s most ground-breaking photographers, showcasing their work, and in-depth editorial pieces that explore the themes and motifs within such photography. Come down to the library to see the latest issue and explore the back issues we have available! 

JSTOR Now Available at the CIA Library!

The JSTOR Archival Journal & Primary Source Collection provides electronic, full text access to the back files to thousands of scholarly periodicals in a variety of disciplines in humanities, arts and sciences, social sciences, and business. Coverage begins with the first issue of the journal, but stops 3 to 5 years (on average) from the current issue. Access also includes thousands of open access ebooks, ebooks licensed by CIA Library, and ARTstor images.

Comics Plus now available!

The library is excited to offer unlimited access to thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from popular and independent publishers in our newest resource, Comics Plus. 

You must create a free account using your CIA email address to use this resource. Once you have your account, you can access all of the great comics in the resource. Be sure to check out the apps for your mobile device!

New Resource - Access World News Research Collection

The library now provides all CIA community members with access to Access World News Research Collection. Access World News Research Collection includes an unprecedented combination of full-text international, national, regional, and local news from more than 12,000 sources from over 200 countries. Our subscription includes same day access to the Plain Dealer, the Akron Beacon Journal, and many others. Available remotely 24/7 on any device.

Interaction of Color Website now available

The library also now has access to the brand new Interaction of Color Complete Edition website. The Interaction of Color Complete Digital Edition website is packed with elegant and innovative features that help you understand the book’s fundamental concepts, study the plates, and experiment with their own designs. The website offers an entirely new way for people to experience Josef Albers's original masterwork. Here is more information about Interaction of Color. 

Please note that you need to create an account using your CIA email address to access the Interaction of Color site.