Category Archives: Mid-Valley Campus

Jose de la Luz Saenz Veterans Lecture Series

Author / Scholar Visit, Library Events, Mid-Valley Campus, Movies, Pecan Campus, Previous Events

libevents-delaluz

 

In the week leading up to Veteran’s Day, the Center for Mexican American Studies at South Texas College will inaugurate the José de la Luz Saenz Veteran’s Lecture Series.  The week will feature lectures, documentaries, and photo exhibit that all take a historical look at the Latina/o Experience in the Armed Forces.

The week will start out with author and historian Emilio Zamora, UT-Austin and co-editor and contributor to Beyond the Latino World War II Hero among other publications.  Dr. Zamora will speak on November 7th at 6:00 PM at the South Texas College Pecan Campus at the Rainbow Room.  His talk “Fighting for Equal Rights at Home and Abroad” will focus on the life and work of Jose de la Luz Saenz, the namesake of the speaker series.  Following the talk will be a book signing session.

Documentary filmmaker, John Valadez, will introduce and screen his award winning documentary “The Longoria Affair.”  The film will be shown on November 8th at the Pecan Campus Library, on November 9th at the STARR County Campus in Auditorium E, and on November 10th at the Mid-Valley Campus in Auditorium G.  All viewings will start at 6:00 PM.

On Thursday, November 10th at 6:00 PM, Dr. Joanne Rao Sanchez or St. Edward’s University will be giving a talk entitled “The Latinas of World War II” based on her writing for the book Beyond the Latino World War II Hero.  The event will take place at the Pecan Campus Library’s Rainbow Room.  Following the talk will be a book signing session and a reception.

In addition, the Humanities Texas photo exhibit Images of Valor: U.S. Latinas and Latinos in WWII, will be displaying at the Pecan Campus Library’s Rainbow Room throughout the month of November.  That week will also feature flag raisings throughout the STC campuses, celebrating all who have served.

José de la Luz Saenz was a veteran of World War I.  He was raised in South Texas and was a lifelong teacher, educator, and civil rights advocate.  Saenz published the diary he kept during his time in the war entitled “The Mexican Americans in the Great War and their Work in Favor of Democracy, Humanity, and Justice” in 1933.

Cosponsoring the event are the Office of Student Life, the Office of Library Services, and the Library Art Gallery.  For more information, please contact Victor Gomez at 956-872-6485 or vgomez@southtexascollege.edu.

Banned Books Week

Book Displays, Mid-Valley Campus, Our Collections, Pecan Campus

Wow. Doesn’t time just fly, Readers?

Before we knew it, September started its last week. Do you know what that means? …

BANNED BOOKS WEEK!

libblog-BookDisplay22

That’s right! Every year, around the country, we like to draw attention to a cause that is near and dear to libraries everywhere.

Censorship versus the Freedom to Read

Every year, in every library, people fight to have books pulled off the shelf and made unavailable for others to read. This happens for various reasons including religious differences, political ideology, language, sexual connotations, etc.

Some of these books include those that have been made popular worldwide such as Stephanie Myers’ Twighlight Series, JK Rowlings’ Harry Potter series, and even (especially!) classics such as Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and Anne Frank: A Diary of a Young Girl. You can find more about the banned and challenged books of 2010-2011 through the American Library Association’s report here.

You can find some of these banned books, and others from past years, in our Libraries!

That’s right readers, let’s live on the WILD SIDE!

libblog-BookDisplay23

(above: book display at the Pecan Campus Library / below: book display at the MidValley Campus Library)

libblog-BookDisplay24

So come one, come all, to our STC Libraries, and explore a little.

And as always, if you have any questions, comments or observations, we’d love to hear from you through the comments!

Event: 150th Anniversary of Mexican-American Involvement in the Civil War

Author / Scholar Visit, Library Events, Mid-Valley Campus, Pecan Campus, Previous Events

libevents-vaqueros All over the United States people are using the word sesquicentennial to describe the 150th anniversary of the Civil War taking place this year.

The STC Library and the Mexican American Studies Program will be commemorating the anniversary with a book talk by historian Dr. Jerry Thompson, author of Vaqueros in Blue and Gray and many other books discussing the South Texas involvement in the Civil War.

On Monday, April 11, Dr. Thompson will be talking at the MidValley Campus Library and at the Pecan Campus Library.  Books will be available for sale, and the author will sign books after his talk.  His other books include The Civil War and the Southwest as well as Cortina: Defending the Mexican Name in Texas.

 

 

Monday, April 11

2:30 PM –
MidValley Library
Build – E
400 N. Border, Weslaco, TX
6:00 PM –
Pecan Library
Build – F   Rainbow Room
3201 W. Pecan Blvd., McAllen, TX

 

For more information contact Esther Garcia at egarcia10@southtexascollege.edu.

Celebrate Banned Books Week at STC

Book Displays, Mid-Valley Campus, Our Collections, Pecan Campus

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.  Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

At the MidValley and Pecan campus libraries, displays are up showing books that have been banned in the past.  In addition, the Pecan campus library will be showing the movie Salt of the Earth, an American classic film, but at the time time of it’s release, the movie had a lot of trouble getting released. The movie will be shown on Sept. 29 at 12pm at F-102.

Enjoy the displays below:

libblog-BookDisplay14

Display at Pecan Library

libblog-BookDisplay15

Display at MidValley Library

To find out more about Banned Books, please visit ALA’s website: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/

Contributed by Patricia Saenz Library Technician at MidValley and Esther Garcia, Library Specialist at Pecan.

Celebrate Hector P. Garcia Day at the Library

Library Events, Mid-Valley Campus, Movies, Pecan Campus, Previous Events

libevents-Movies8Pictured with President Lyndon B. Johnson

In 2009, the State of Texas decreed the third Wednesday of September to be Hector P. Garcia Day.  In honor, the STC Library will be screening a documentary about his life.  Dr. Hector P. Garcia was born in Mercedes.  He was a doctor, World War II veteran, civil rights advocate, and founder of the American G.I. Forum.  He was a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

For more information about Dr. Hector P. Garcia look for the book about his life: Hector P. García by Ignacio M. Garcia (check for availability).

Also visit UTMB’s website dedicated to Dr. Garcia (click here).

Times
 Locations
9/15 at 12pm Pecan Library
9/15 at 12pm MidValley Library
9/16 at 12pm MidValley Library

For more information contact the MidValley Library at 447-6663 or the Pecan Library at 872-6485.

Staff Pick: Navigating Your Freshman Year

Book Displays, Mid-Valley Campus, Our Collections

Lombardo, Allison, and Katharine Jackson, eds. Navigating Your Freshman Year. New York, NY: Prentice Hall Press, 2005. Print.

In the Fall 2009 semester alone, South Texas College experienced a 23% increase in enrollment. As the Fall 2010 semester quickly approaches, we can only imagine how many first-time college students will be looking to STC for their educational needs. How many of these students will enter college as wide-eyed freshmen only to be overwhelmed by seemingly insurmountable reading assignments, research papers, and tests? Countless freshmen have entered college unaware of the strategies and skills needed to survive their first year.

Fortunately, in addition to the extremely helpful College Success course taught at STC, our campus libraries house a number of books that focus on the skills needed to be successful in a college environment. One such book, Navigating Your Freshman Year, consists only of “brutally honest advice, ideas, and personal stories” contributed by college students all over the country. While certain chapters of the books may not be relevant to the average STC student (the first 3 chapters consist mostly of stories about homesickness and “roommate hell”), there are many ideas and lessons worth reading. Some of the best stories and advice are about learning to study, prioritize, and remain relatively stress-free, but there are dozens more about dating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Most of these suggestions are not groundbreaking, but this guide packages them in a way that is both realistic and humorous. Navigating Your Freshman Year is well-rounded and caters to the average student who seeks good grades and an active social life.

libblog-BookDisplay12

Contributed by Jessica Cruz, Library Specialist at the Mid-Valley Campus.

Frida screening Aug. 5th

Library Events, Mid-Valley Campus, Movies, Pecan Campus, Previous Events

libevents-Movies6The Pecan and MidValley Libraries will be showing the movie Frida.  The movie is based on the Hayden Herrera biography, and was nominated for six Oscars, and it won two.

“Salma Hayek plays the Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo, whose tempestuous life with her unfaithful husband, muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), drives the story of Frida. Maverick director Julie Taymor (Titus, the Broadway stage production of The Lion King) pulls out a wealth of gorgeous visuals to capture everything from the horrific bus accident that damaged Kahlo’s spine to her and Rivera’s trip to New York City, where Rivera’s political leanings ruptured a commission from the Rockefeller family.  Taymor’s dynamic energy and Kahlo’s forceful personality give Frida genuine emotional impact. The superb cast includes Roger Rees, Valeria Golino, Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Antonio Banderas, and Edward Norton. –Bret Fetzer from Amazon.com Editorial Review

Pecan Aug. 5 at 12pm

MidValley Aug. 5 at 12pm

For more information contact Esther Garcia at egarcia10@southtexascollege.edu or 956-872-6485.

John Adams movie June 7th!

Library Events, Mid-Valley Campus, Movies, Pecan Campus, Previous Events

libevents-Movies5To celebrate Independence Day, the Pecan and MidValley Libraries will be showing the monumental HBO miniseries John Adams. The miniseries is based off of David McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize winning book (click here to check for availability of book). We will be showing the first two episodes of the seven part miniseries.

Part 1: Join or Die opens with the night of the Boston Massacre. John Adams was a farmer and a lawyer, and he takes on the unpopular task of defending the British soldiers accused of murdering several American colonists.

Part 2: Independence shows John Adams as a new member of the Continental Congress that will eventually declare independence from Great Britain.

John Adams was described as “quite simply, as good as TV gets,” by the New York Daily News, and has won more Emmy’s than any other miniseries.

Pecan MidValley
July 7 at 12pm July 7 at 10pm

http://youtu.be/9CNbQOrxQ-g

Library Open House at Your Campus!

Library Events, Mid-Valley Campus, Movies, NAH Campus, Pecan Campus, Previous Events, Starr County Campus, Technology Campus

Library Week is that time of the year when we stop and appreciate what libraries and librarians have contributed to our schools and communities. And South Texas College will celebrate Library Week with a number of activities at all five of its campuses.

Celebrated nation wide, this year’s theme is “Communities Thrive @ Your Library.”  In tough economic times, libraries give free access to books, DVDs, computers, and research assistance.  Go by one of your campus libraries to enjoy what they have to offer.  Please e-mail Esther Garcia for more details: egarcia10@southtexascollege.edu.

Library Open Houses 2010
Date Campus Library Details Contact Person
4/12 NAHC Open House 10 am – 2 pm
  • Book Talk  on Valley authors*
  • Drafting demonstration
  • Presentation by Rey Anzaldua on Hospital Security
  • Art Gallery Tours
  • Snacks, Drinks, Cake
 James Phillips 872-3189
4/13 Starr Campus Open House 11 am – 2 pm
  • Kayak exhibit
  • Zavotash dancers
  • Talk given by Local Historian
  • Possible trolley ride
  • Door Prizes
  • Food, Snacks, Drinks
 Thelma Garza 488- 5820
4/14 MidValley Campus Open House10 am – 2 pm
  • Information Fair
  • Music
  • Art Gallery Tours
  • Movie showing New Moon
  • Snacks and Drinks
 Jessica Cruz 447-6663
4/15 Pecan Campus Open House 11 am – 2 pm
  • Information Fair
  • Scavenger Hunt
  • Meet Miss RGV
  • Music
  • Movie showing New Moon
  • Snacks, Popcorn, Drinks, Cake
 Esther Garcia 872-6485
4/19 Tech Campus Open House 10 am – 2 pm
  • Folkloric Dancers
  • Paramedic Visit with Ambulence, Stretcher, and Dummy
  • Book Talk  on Valley authors*
  • Art Gallery Tours
  • Snacks, Drinks, Cake
 James Phillips 872-6120

*Book Talk on Valley authors will be given by librarian James Phillips, and he will discuss authors Americo Paredes, Rolando Hinojosa Smith, Gloria Anzaldua, and T.R. Fehrenbach.