Our new government documents LibGuide is up and running!

For anyone interested in searching for government published materials, or just information about how the U.S. Government works, Davis Library at the University of Rio Grande & Rio Grande Community College is a great place to start. Since 1966, we have been a member of the United States Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), which means that we get about 16% of all documents published by the U.S. Government each year. All government document print materials are kept on the 2nd floor stacks, just to the right of the front entrance.

As an additional resource for students, faculty, and the community we have just uploaded a link to our newly created government documents LibGuide, which can be found on the Davis Library homepage under "LibGuides". This resource provides information on finding government resources in print at Davis Library, on our website through RioCat, and online through various government websites. The LibGuide is organized into Executive, Legislative, and Judicial pages, with information on Ohio and international governments as well. Since the majority of government information can now be found online, the plethora of information available can get overwhelming. For this reason, we have also added "Popular Online Resources" and "Getting Started" pages, which are great for anyone doing general searches.

If you are interested in researching materials relating to the U.S. Government, or government organizations, online resources are a great place to start. That being said, the librarians at Davis Library are always willing to help, so feel free to come see us or contact us with any questions!

Whole New (Constitution Day) View

View of Davis Library around 4 PM Wednesday 9.17.14

Happy Constitution Day!  Today we commemorate and celebrate the September 17, 1787 signing of the United States (U.S.) Constitution, a document that outlines the nature of our government and the freedoms we enjoy as U.S. citizens.  

Nationally observed since 2004 to promote greater awareness of our civil liberties and the tireless efforts our Founding Fathers went through to secure those rights, this date is also sometimes referred to as Citizenship Day.

Each September in the week that usually follows Constitution Day, librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types continue the celebration of our freedoms with particularly emphasis on our First Amendment Rights by observing Banned Books Week (BBW), which takes place this year September 21 - 27.

BBW recognizes and delights in our freedom to read. The importance of open access to information in maintaining democratic and just societies is significantly stressed at this time.  By focusing on efforts across the country to remove, restrict or filter the availability of certain books and websites, BBW draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Our ability to think critically, solve problems and improve student achievement are dependent on the ability to communicate, discuss and explore ideas—even those beliefs or viewpoints that may be uncomfortable, unpopular or unorthodox.

On September 24, 2014 the Friends of the Davis Library will host its annual “Read-Out!” event at 3 p.m. on the Davis Library’s Main Floor. 

You’re invited to participate in the celebration by sharing excerpts from your favorite frequently challenged book.  Challenged books are those titles that the Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) at American Library Association has documented as being subjected to formal banning attempts.

If you’ve any questions or concerns about this upcoming activity, please don’t hesitate to “Ask Us!”