News & Events

Marine Corps Is 250 Years Strong

11/10/2025

Robyn Williams

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The US Marine Corps started as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775. The United States Marine Corps is the US Armed Forces' combined-arms task force on land, at sea, and in the air. It has more than 180,000 active duty personnel as well as almost 40,000 personnel in the Marine Corps Reserve. Thank an active duty or veteran Marine today! Ultimately, the 250th birthday celebrations will conclude in Washington, DC at the Commandant's Birthday Ball in November.

Re-Envisioning The Marine Corps - The article offers information on how the U.S. Marine Corps senior command has updated its original Force Design 2030 concept. It further discusses revision that sets a direction away from the traditional role of the Corps since the Second World War.

Making the Tough Tougher - Discusses the martial arts training program of the United States (U.S.) Marine Corps. Details of the physical regimen and fighting techniques taught at the program; Lessons in teamwork and mental discipline; Requirements to attain various martial arts belt levels.

Miracle at Belleau Wood by Alan Axelrod; Bing West (Foreword by)

ISBN: 9781493032891

Miracle at Belleau Wood begins in June 1918 at Les Mare Farm in France, with just 200 U.S. marines, who spilled their blood to prevail against impossible odds, resisting an overwhelming German force of thousands and turned the battle back against the enemy, saved Paris, saved France, and saved the Allied hope of victory. Called "the Gettysburg of the Great War" by many at the time, it rescued America and its allies from almost certain defeat This book tells the riveting story of the modern marines as America's fiercest and most effective warriors, the world's preeminent fighting elite. It is the story of an epoch-making battle--a battle that elevated the Corps to legendary status and forever burned them into the American imagination.

The Mosquito Bowl by Buzz Bissinger

ISBN: 9780062879936

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, college football was at the height of its popularity. ;As the nation geared up for total war, one branch of the service dominated the aspirations of college football stars: the United States Marine Corps Which is why, on Christmas Eve of 1944, when the 4th and 29th Marine regiments found themselves in the middle of the Pacific Ocean training for what would be the bloodiest battle of the war - the invasion of Okinawa--their ranks included one of the greatest pools of football talent ever assembled: Former All Americans, captains from Wisconsin and Brown and Notre Dame, and nearly twenty men who were either drafted or would ultimately play in the NFL. When the trash-talking between the 4th;and 29th over who had the better football team reached a fever pitch, it was decided: The two regiments would play each other in a football game as close to the real thing as you could get in the dirt and coral of Guadalcanal.Buzz Bissinger takes us from the playing fields of America's campuses where boys played at being Marines, to the final time they were allowed to still be boys on that field of dirt and coral, to the darkest and deadliest days that followed at Okinawa.

History, Celebrations and Holidays

International Animation Day

10/28/2025

Robyn Williams

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Surprised by the succcess of K Pop Demon Hunters? You shouldn't be. Animation transformed the film industry by allowing magic to become real, right before our eyes. From the dancing brooms of Fantasia to the world of Pandora, animation has evolved from cell coloring to the most sophisticated CGI imaginable. Workers in this industry rely on graphic design principles, such as the ones learned in our program, to design clear cinematography, from the colors to the motion. Some of their sets are physical, some sets are tied to actors' wearables, and some sets exist only in the animator's imagination. Animators help story editors and script writers accomplish the gift of storytelling.

The 12 Principles of Animation - This Miniclip explores how animators bring characters and objects to life. These 12 principles of animation were first introduced by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas in 1981.

The three K Pop Demon Hunters waggle their fingers at a bad guy while wearing bubble-gum colors and trendy makeup.

Monster Smash - The article highlights the global success of K-Pop Demon Hunters from Sony Pictures Animation, emphasizing its blend of K-pop music, Korean cultural elements, and animated storytelling that has captivated audiences worldwide. Topics include chart-topping original soundtrack hits, integration of Korean traditions into modern animation, and innovative choreography and character design.

On Animaniacs: FREEDOM - In a recent episode of the cult science-fiction cartoon show Rick and Morty, the titular characters--an anarchic scientist and his hapless grandson--journey to the distant planet of 'Forbodulon Prime' to mine a valuable geological resource. Bluntly referred to as 'death crystals', these rare prismatic forms are capable of representing multiple futures on each of their varied planes at once, predictively screening the variety of fates that their owners might meet through a dizzying cinematics of disaster. While such fantastical insights offer playful narrative opportunities to the show's writers, the episode's comedic ingenuity relies largely on the gruesome visual humor of its animated depiction of simultaneity. These absurd scenes both figure and frame images of life and death as novel products of an animated process and, in doing so, demonstrate something of animation's particularity as a 'super-medium', that is, according to the media theorist Deborah Levitt, a medium composed of diverse interdependent variants.

The to Z of Animation and Cartoons by Nichola Dobson

ISBN: 9780810876231

Animation was once a relatively simple matter, using fairly primitive means to produce rather short films of subjects that were generally comedic and often quite childish. However, things have changed, and they continue changing at a maddening pace. One new technique after another has made it easier, faster, and above all cheaper to produce the material, which has taken on an increasing variety of forms. The A to Z of Animation and Cartoons is an introduction to all aspects of animation history and its development as a technology and industry beyond the familiar cartoons from the Disney and Warner Bros. Studios. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, photos, a bibliography, and over 200 cross-referenced dictionary entries on animators, directors, studios, techniques, films, and some of the best-known characters.

The Queens of Animation by Nathalia Holt

ISBN: 9780316439152

From Snow White to Moana, from Pinocchio to Frozen, the animated films of Walt Disney Studios have moved and entertained millions. But few fans know that behind these groundbreaking features was an incredibly influential group of women who fought for respect in an often ruthless male-dominated industry and who have slipped under the radar for decades In The Queens of Animation, bestselling author Nathalia Holt tells their dramatic stories for the first time, showing how these women infiltrated the boys' club of Disney's story and animation departments and used early technologies to create the rich artwork and unforgettable narratives that have become part of the American canon. As the influence of Walt Disney Studios grew -- and while battling sexism, domestic abuse, and workplace intimidation -- these women also fought to transform the way female characters are depicted to young audiences.

Animation - History Neil Degrasse Tyson and co-hosts discuss the history of animation as an art form. Tyson speaks about the codification of cartoon physics.

Film, Communication, Technical Programs

World Mental Health Day

10/10/2025

Robyn Williams

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What does it mean to be mentally healthy? Explore ideas surrounding mental acuity and health during World Mental Health Day. The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. This year's theme is mental health during humanitarian emergencies. Crises such as natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies cause emotional distress, with one in five individuals experiencing a mental health condition. Supporting the mental well-being of individuals during such crises is not just important – it saves lives, gives people the strength to cope, the space to heal and to recover and rebuild not only as individuals but as communities.

The 12-Hour Walk by Colin O'Brady

ISBN: 9781982133160

I don't have enough time...I don't have enough money...I'm afraid to fail...I don't have what it takes--we allow these limiting beliefs to control us. Now comes The 12-Hour Walk, which provides the inspiration--and catalyst--for getting unstuck and realizing your full potential. Featuring life lessons from explorer, endurance athlete, and entrepreneur Colin O'Brady--whose adventures in such extreme places as Antarctica and the perilous Drake Passage and on the peaks of Mount Everest and K2 have seen him establish ten world records--this book's vivid narrative and powerful insight will show you how you can embark on your own life-changing journey. With Colin as your guide, The 12-Hour Walk asks you to invest one day in yourself. The goal? Conquering your mind and becoming your best self. By walking alone, unplugging, listening to the voice within, and rewriting the limiting beliefs etched into your psyche, you can break free of the patterns holding you back and learn how to cultivate a "Possible Mindset"--an empowered way of thinking that unlocks a life of limitless possibilities. The reward: being the hero of your own destiny.

Advanced Parenting by Kelly Fradin

ISBN: 9781538722466

"An invaluable resource for parents and caregivers," this important, empathetic guidebook offers practical steps for managing children's health (Emily Oster, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Cribsheet and Expecting Better). Any parent who has ever walked out of a concerning appointment with their child's doctor or teacher has experienced a heady mix of emotions--fear, love, confusion, concern, sadness, and perhaps even anger. While every parent hopes for a healthy child, the reality is that children face many common challenges, including medical issues like ADHD, asthma, food allergies, feeding issues, learning disabilities, anxiety and depression, and developmental delays, throughout their formative years. As the role of a parent becomes one of a caregiver, it can be overwhelming for parents and children alike, particularly if money, time, access, or any combination of those are in short supply. As a balm, Dr. Kelly Fradin offers Advanced Parenting, based on her experience as a complex-care pediatrician. In this crucial guide, parents will find empathy and support as well as evidence-based practical guidance. Of greatest import is the need for tools with which to manage the emotional stress that comes from having a child who deviates from the norm, as well as coping with uncertainty and navigating the business of care. Readers will discover ways to optimize the outcomes for their family and make their day-to-day life easier. Advanced Parenting will help families from the beginning of their journey, helping parents to decide when a child needs help, accepting the implications of a challenge, obtaining a correct diagnosis, learning about the issue, building a treatment team and coming up with a comprehensive plan. Dr. Fradin explores how a child struggling can affect the entire family dynamic including the parent's relationships and the siblings overall well-being, and with her experience as a complex care pediatrician, she will help parents avoid common mistakes. Parents will feel seen, supported, and better prepared to be both a parent and a caregiver.

Girls on the Brink by Donna Jackson Nakazawa

ISBN: 9780593233085

15 "simple but powerful" (The New York Times Book Review) strategies for raising emotionally healthy girls, based on cutting-edge science that explains the modern pressures that make it so difficult for adolescent girls to thrive "This is a brave and important book; the challenging stories--both personal and scientific--will make you think, and, hopefully, act."--Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD, New York Times bestselling co-author of What Happened to You? ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Mashable Anyone caring for girls today knows that our daughters, students, and girls next door are more anxious and more prone to depression and self-harming than ever before. The question that no one has yet been able to credibly answer is Why? Now we have answers. As award-winning writer Donna Jackson Nakazawa deftly explains in Girls on the Brink, new findings reveal that the crisis facing today's girls is a biologically rooted phenomenon: the earlier onset of puberty mixes badly with the unchecked bloom of social media and cultural misogyny. When this toxic clash occurs during the critical neurodevelopmental window of adolescence, it can alter the female stress-immune response in ways that derail healthy emotional development. But our new understanding of the biology of modern girlhood yields good news, too. Though puberty is a particularly critical and vulnerable period, it is also a time during which the female adolescent brain is highly flexible and responsive to certain kinds of support and scaffolding. Indeed, we know now that a girl's innate sensitivity to her environment can, with the right conditions, become her superpower. Jackson Nakazawa details the common denominators of such support, shedding new light on the keys to preventing mental health concerns in girls as well as helping those who are already struggling. Drawing on insights from both the latest science and interviews with girls about their adolescent experiences, the author carefully guides adults through fifteen "antidote" strategies to help any teenage girl thrive in the face of stress, including how to nurture the parent-child connection through the rollercoaster of adolescence, core ingredients to building a sense of safety and security for your teenage girl at home, and how to foster the foundations of long-term resilience in our girls so they're ready to face the world. Neuroprotective and healing, the strategies in Girls on the Brink amount to a new playbook for how we--parents, families, and the human tribe--can secure a healthy emotional inner life for all of our girls.

Understanding Suicide's Allure by Stanley Krippner; Debbie Joffe Ellis; Daryl S. Paulson

ISBN: 9781440862540

This book explains why suicide can be alluring to a person aiming to stop his or her traumatic pain--whether its source is bullying, sexual assault, war combat, or other PTSD-invoking events--and details approaches that can prevent suicide. Suicide has been a taboo topic in Western culture. The mere mention of suicide sparks reactive responses that include medical, moral, spiritual, and religious debates. As a result, the authors open an important discussion here, offering an honest and non-judgmental examination of the many aspects involved in the nature of suicide, explaining that above all, people need to learn how to support those struggling with suicidal thoughts or to intercept their own suicidal thinking. The book also includes an extensive review and evaluation of the many available mental health treatments. Special consideration is given to military suicides. U.S. soldier suicides exceed one per day and continue to rise in all military branches, while veteran suicide rates are even higher, averaging 17 per day. Communities, families, veterans, and service members are in need of tools and insights for coping with, navigating, and exposing the suicidal attitudes affecting many current and former members of the military. Incorporates academic research, media coverage, and the authors' personal experiences Includes topics associated with forms of suicide not widely addressed in other books, including evolutionary psychology, traumatic brain injury, prescription drug side-effects, and shamanism Addresses suicide in the general population as well as within the cadre of some of the nation's newest veterans--those who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars

The Quiet Damage by Jesselyn Cook

ISBN: 9780593443255

The "gripping" (The Atlantic) story of five families shattered by pernicious, pervasive conspiracy theories, and how we might set ourselves free from a crisis that could haunt American life for generations. "Excellent . . . This is the intimate side of the cold civil war America has been stuck in for nearly a decade."--Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times "SHED MY DNA": three excruciating words uttered by a QAnon-obsessed mother, once a highly respected lawyer, to her only son, once the closest person in her life. QAnon beliefs and adjacent conspiracy theories have had devastating political consequences as they've exploded in popularity. What's often overlooked is the lasting havoc they wreak on our society at its most basic and intimate level--the family. In The Quiet Damage, celebrated reporter Jesselyn Cook paints a harrowing portrait of the vulnerabilities that have left so many of us susceptible to outrageous falsehoods promising order, purpose, and control. Braided throughout are the stories of five American families: an elderly couple whose fifty-year romance takes a heartbreaking turn; millennial sisters of color who grew up in dire poverty--one to become a BLM activist, the other, a hardcore conspiracy theorist pulling her little boy down the rabbit hole with her; a Bay Area hippie-type and her business-executive fiancé, who must decide whether to stay with her as she turns into a stranger before his eyes; evangelical parents whose simple life in a sleepy suburb spirals into delusion-fueled chaos; and a rural mother-son duo who, after carrying each other through unspeakable tragedy, stop speaking at all as ludicrous untruths shatter a bond long thought unbreakable. Charting the arc of each believer's path from their first intersection with conspiracy theories to the depths of their cultish conviction, to--in some cases--their rejection of disinformation and the mending of fractured relationships, Cook offers a rare, intimate look into the psychology of how and why ordinary people come to believe the unbelievable. Profound, brilliantly researched, and beautifully written, The Quiet Damage lays bare how we have been taken hostage by grifters peddling lies built on false hope--and how we might release our loved ones, and ourselves, from their grasp.

Psychology

Two New Tutors -Stephanie Music and Courtney Young

10/01/2025

Robyn Williams

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We welcome two new tutors: Stephanie Music and Courtney Young.

Hello, my name is Stephanie Music. I earned both my Associate of Arts and Associate of Science through the early college program at Big Sandy Community and Technical College. I then received my Bachelor’s degree in Game Art and Development from Southern New Hampshire University. You can find me in the ACE on the Mayo campus and I am happy to assist you with anything you may need assistance with.

606-788-2864

SMusic0018@kctcs.edu

Courtney Young earned her Associate in Science and Associate in Arts at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. She then earned her bachelor’s degree in University Studies at Morehead State University and Master of Science in biology at Western Kentucky University. She worked at Southeast as a tutor, GED instructor, KYAE outreach specialist, and grants specialist. Courtney is happy to assist students with biology, health science, psychology, and writing homework. She is also available to proofread and edit essays and papers covering a variety of topics.

606-218-1201

CYoung0139@kctcs.edu

ACE

New Library Administrative Assistant - Catherine Stuart

09/25/2025

Robyn Williams

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We welcome Catherine Stuart to the Prestonsburg campus, after the retirement of long-time and much-loved circulation desk worker Glenna Woods. Catherine joins us from her recent relocation to Kentucky with her husband. She has experience in library work and is eager to help with any questions from our community. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, decorating, and crafting.

Library Events

Classical Music Month

09/22/2025

Robyn Williams

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In 1994, Bill Clinton issued a presidential proclamation regarding Classical Music Month, to celebrate and revere “a unifying force in our world, bringing people together across vast cultural and geographical divisions.” Here are a few pieces, including the history, thoughts, and performer notes as appropriate, to bring classical music into our lives during September.

History, Sociology

National Literacy Day

09/08/2025

Robyn Williams

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It's National Literacy Day!

It's your time to understand how far broad literacy skills can take you

What is literacy? It is the capacity to communicate using inscribed, printed, or electronic signs or symbols for representing language. While it can never truly replace oral tradition, it is the ability to understand and translate language in a way that is a foundational aspect of culture. Even within shared cultures, there may be individuals who are highly literate in one aspect of language, but poor in the next one. Here are some library articles on understanding how literacy works in our modern society.

This year the International Day of Literacy promotes “literacy in the digital era.” While digital tools can expand opportunities, they also run the risk of creating a group called the “double marginalized” – both lacking basic literacy (reading) skills and digital literacy tools, either through the ability to understand credible information or the over-reliance on tools they don't understand. Promoting literacy therefore becomes a common good and a global human right.

Literacy and Human History - a brief introduction to the history of literacy as an idea, including representing the concept of ideology, that humans who are literate in their society have an agreed upon foundation to represent oral language. It looks at the evolution of writing systems, surface technologies, and how reading has impacted literacy.

Data Visualization Literacy - explores how humans transcribe numbers onto writing technologies. This paper introduces a data visualization literacy framework (DVL-FW) that was specifically developed to define, teach, and assess DVL. The holistic DVL-FW promotes both the reading and construction of data visualizations, a pairing analogous to that of both reading and writing in textual literacy and understanding and applying in mathematical literacy.

The Challenge of 21st Century Literacies - Literacy seems to bloom and change all the time. Despite all the rhetoric about the importance of new or digital literacies in education, recent curricular reforms and their associated assessment regimes have tended to privilege traditional literacy skills and printed text. An expansive view of new literacies in practice seems hard to realize. Why should this be the case? How do literacy teachers connect with a new set of literacy skills?

The Role of New Literacy and Critical Thinking in Students' Vocational Development - The authors asked 122 respondents: how important are literacy skills in workforce development? The new literacy and critical thinking is often used to support students' vocational development, especially in the formation of soft skills, such as teamwork or interpretation. Soft skills are related to new literacy and critical thinking, namely, how to obtain, use and disseminate information.

First Year Experience, English, Communication

It's National Dog Day

08/26/2025

Robyn Williams

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National Dog Day is celebrated on August 26 annually. Started in 2004 by Collen Paige, NDD was adopted by New York State in 2013 and by the national legislature in 2015. Celebrating all breeds, their purposes in our lives, and their gifts to families across the country. National Dog Doy is a time for celebrating what your dog brings to your life.

Post the name of your dog in the comments, age/type, and how they've affected your life. We'd love to see them!

Celebrations and Holidays

New Student Orientation

08/12/2025

Robyn Williams

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For new students in today's orientation, the library welcomes you and encourages you to examine two of our topical guides, Technology Tricks and Computer Skills - asking you to determine what needs you have in terms of understanding how to navigate the Big Sandy online environment. From the basic ideas, to advanced skill development, we're here to help you!

Technology Tricks
Computer Skills
This brief tutorial guide leads you to ways to brush up on your computer skills. It is useful for new students or students who may need some basic skills training.

First Year Experience

Convocation - Libraries and ACE Closed

07/31/2025

Robyn Williams

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The library and ACE at each campus will be closed on Tuesday, August 5 so that library staff may attend the college convocation. Please drop a line via text, 606-328-6607, and when our training ends on that day, we will text back.

Due to numerous other college events and happenings, please check the door of the library nearest you to see our latest hours during August. Some hours may vary as everyone attends various events.

ACE, Library Events

Marine Corps Is 250 Years Strong

International Animation Day

World Mental Health Day

Two New Tutors -Stephanie Music and Courtney Young

New Library Administrative Assistant - Catherine Stuart

Classical Music Month

National Literacy Day

It's National Dog Day

New Student Orientation

Technology Tricks

Computer Skills

This brief tutorial guide leads you to ways to brush up on your computer skills. It is useful for new students or students who may need some basic skills training.

Convocation - Libraries and ACE Closed