Atlantic Cape Libraries - Atlantic Cape Community College Libraries at Atlantic Cape Community College

Who is the author of the blog?

In case you were wondering where I have been, I was working on a couple of projects. I am back and I thought this would make for the perfect time to share a little about the person behind the computer.

The Face Behind the Blog

Amanda Carey

Picture of Amanda Carey

A Brief Bio:

My name is Amanda Carey and I am one of the part-time reference librarians for Atlantic Cape Community College. In addition to my employment with the college, I work full-time as a school librarian at Slaybaugh Elementary School in Egg Harbor Township.

I never imagined being a librarian. In fact, I started my college journey in the fall of 2008 right here at ACCC as a business major. A few semesters in and I decided to change my major to criminal justice because my dream of owning a salon went out the window during prom season due to allergies and asthma.

Once I finished my time here, I moved on to Stockton University and graduated with my degree. Not without getting married and having a set of twin boys first, however.

When I graduated, I stayed home to care for my twins and (not long after) third child. It was during this time as a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) that I was presented with an opportunity to work part-time as a library assistant at the Egg Harbor Township High School. I was excited to have a chance to get out of the house while still being home with my children for most of the time. I had no idea that I would love my job so much that I would decide to join the graduate program with Rutgers and earn my Masters of Information degree.

Fast forward a couple of years and I am working here serving the wonderful ACCC community!

(I also added child #4!)

Interests:

I love the outdoors. Sitting and looking out at the world is one of the most peaceful, beautiful, and simple treasures in life. I love the mountains. My dream is to retire to a nice lodge(ish) home in the mountains. I am a bit of busy-body too so I like to go on adventures like hiking new trails, exploring waterfalls, jumping off cliffs into the water, and living life to the fullest!

Inspiration:

To put it simply, my inspiration comes from my children. I look at those faces and have this burning desire to show them that they can truly reach their dreams with a little sweat, tears, and perseverance. I also want to model a fail-forward mindset. Life will knock us down sometimes, we just have to get back up and keep on keepin' on.

Favorite Books:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Lucky by Alice Sebold

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

A Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Favorite Quotes:

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

-Harriet Tubman

"Research is a formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."

-Zora Neale Hurston

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

-Benjamin Franklin

Piece of Advice:

When you feel like you aren't sure where your life is headed, take a moment to breathe and continue moving forward. Clarity will come with each step you take.

Life is a rollercoaster. There are ups, downs, twists, and turns. Don't be discouraged by it because every coaster ride reaches its destination.

Changing your mind isn't a bad thing if that means you find where you belong in the world.

Recent Posts

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover- get to know your library

For most of us, when we hear the word “library,” we think “borrowing books.” And that makes sense, because it’s been true for well…centuries. According to Oxford Open Learning’s website, libraries started developing in the U.K. some 1500 years ago (you read that right) and the first one is thought to be dated some 5,000 years ago in Southwest Asia. It further notes that the world’s oldest known library is “believed to be The Library of Ashurbanipal, which was founded sometime in the 7th century B.C. for the ‘royal contemplation’ of the Assyrian ruler Ashurbanipal” with a collection of over 30,000 clay tablets—imagine!It’s safe to say that libraries have come a very long way since then—from tablets to…tablets. Or laptops, to be precise. Today, you can visit your Atlantic Cape library and check out not only books on countless topics, but laptops. Taking a math class? Check out a graphing calculator, and nursing students and faculty can borrow anatomy models. If you have a study group, pop into one of our study rooms—your table, chairs, and whiteboard await you. In addition to making learning more conducive, your Atlantic Cape library is the place to go if you want to dial it back a bit. Stop by and work on a jigsaw puzzle in peace and quiet. Meet a friend for a game of chess, or park yourself on one of our big comfy couches at the Cape May campus library, and flip through a magazine. Check out the billboard for upcoming events and services (sign up to The New York Times with your student ID!). Get some work done at one of our computer banks, or print off an article or paper for class. And take advantage of our tutoring program—see the tutoring page for more information.Whether your goal is to expand your knowledge or take a tiny break from it, think about giving your campus library a second look!by Kate Chadwick ...

Atlantic Cape in the Spotlight

An article about Atlantic Cape Community College, titled Fueling Local Futures, appeared in the Fall issue of Cape May Magazine, a Cape May-based coastal lifestyle publication with subscribers across the country. The article was written by Marjorie Preston, and focused specifically on the Cape May Court House campus, the smallest of Atlantic Cape’s three locations. It was also mentioned at length in the From the Editor letter in the issue, referencing her personal connection to Atlantic Cape during a difficult time in her life. “Although our subscribers are primarily people who look at Cape May as a vacation destination, I’ve always felt that it’s important to regularly include a story that speaks to and about the people who live and work here,” said Editor Kate Chadwick. “And to remind those valued visitors that every resort town everywhere has a backbone of people who make that place their home, and whose work and community spirit make that resort the destination that it is to tourists.” The article begins broadly with the question “Why community college?” and then hones in on exactly what Atlantic Cape provides not only for its students, but to the communities that surround its campuses. “I feel that it’s an underutilized resource for locals, and, with the CMC campus’s recent alliance with the zoo, for vacationers, too,” Ms. Chadwick said, referencing the successful Zoo Camp summer program and more generally, the Alex Ernst Memorial Education Center, home of the college’s Zoo Education Program. “Further, I wanted local people to be aware of the opportunities available to them at a local community college, particularly for the nontraditional student.” Atlantic Cape’s culinary program is a focus of the article, as restaurants are of course pivotal to any region with a tourism-based economy. The recent addition of the Cape May County bizHub to the CMC campus is also mentioned, with its broad range of resources available to current and potential small business owners in the community. The article was peppered with quotes from both college staff and students, and rounded out with a letter from an Atlantic Cape alumni who now works at Cape May Magazine, Cassidy Jones, who was also pivotal in getting the story published. “I thought it was an important story to tell because of obvious sentimental significance, being an Atlantic Cape graduate, but also because of my peers whose journeys were so positively impacted by the school,” Ms. Jones said. “I think looking back on the experience I have a lot more praise because I realize now how hard life can be, and how easy Atlantic Cape made it for people in tough situations to have access to a real education. Publishing the story in Cape May Magazine allows readers to peek behind the touristy curtain of Cape May and get a glimpse of who the people are that keep the operations running, the Cape May County workforce that is supported by local resources like Atlantic Cape." Content by Kate Chadwick ...

Libraries – Our Unsung Heroes

There’s a great Seinfeld episode based solely around a late library book that Jerry took out of the NewYork Public library in 1971 while still in high school, and the hilarious pursuit of its return by the library’s“enforcer,” the aptly-name Mr. Bookman. In the episode, Jerry refers to the library good naturedly aseveryone’s “pathetic friend, who is willing to do anything if you’ll be friends with them.” To paraphrase,he says “walk in there, take whatever you want, bring it back whenever.”It’s an excellent—if mildly derisive—assessment of the library’s place in our society: a stalwart friend,ready to lend and assist at all times, at no cost to the patrons. Kind an helpful staff, ready to assist you?Yes. Need a book? Done. Audio or e-books? Yes. Free use of a computer? Check. Tutorials andworkshops, open to the community? Indeed—and the list goes on. You could call libraries our society’sunsung heroes—and that’s exactly why the Unsung Libraries Initiative was creating, to highlight librarieswhose work matches this year’s NJLA themes of Simple Kindness and Breaking Barriers.The initiative recognizes libraries that provide great service to their communities, and 12 libraries will bevisited and recognized over the next year. Ultimately, one of those 12 libraries will receive the NJLAPresident’s Aware. And on July 24, President of the New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) Jeff Cupovisited the Spangler Library to recognize Janet Hauge’s application, to the delight of library staff.In President Cupo’s remarks, he indicated that he received a lot of impressive applications. “But thework you and your staff are doing, and how you are going so far above and beyond the traditionalacademic work most people probably assume you do, really stood out,” he said. “It's very clear that you all truly care about your students and all the different issues they are facing in their lives, and I love the hard work and kind and creative efforts you all are doing to meet those challenges.” He further remarked that he was thrilled to begin his 12-library tour with a visit to an academic library. President Cupo toured the library and then met with full-time staff members to talk about the creative,compassionate work being done to help students succeed at ACCC. The discussion included the variousways that all library staff continuously strive to improve services, touching on everything fromexpanding textbook reserve collections to providing snacks. It was noted the staff always find ways tosay yes. The libraries at Atlantic Cape Community are an excellent example of just how the Collegeworks hard to break whatever barriers may impede the success of our students and community....

Summer- the perfect time to read

It's time for summer and that means summer reading – that glorious period of time when you can finally focus on personal interests. Be sure to explore the library’s catalog for new titles in your field that you wanted all year to read but haven’t had the time. We also have many of the hot bestsellers and guilty pleasures that you have been saving for the perfect, poolside afternoon. Need books for the kids? The Atlantic Cape libraries in partnership with the Atlantic County Library system can loan to you many of the books on this season’s must-read lists, so your summer reading can be a family affair. Be sure to also check out the library's new books. Library privileges are open to all students, faculty and staff; Atlantic Cape librarians are happy to help you find your book. If we don’t have the title that you are seeking, we can likely borrow it for you from one of the libraries in our nationwide network of lending partners. Send your questions to library@ atlanticcape.edu, and start your summer book search using our online catalog. ...

Atlantic Cape Libraries and Tutoring

The Face Behind It All

Who is the author of the blog?

The Face Behind the Blog

Leave a comment

Commenting on blog posts requires an account.

Login is required to interact with this comment. Please and try again.

If you do not have an account, Register Now.

The Face Behind It All

Who is the author of the blog?

The Face Behind the Blog

Leave a comment

Commenting on blog posts requires an account.

Login is required to interact with this comment. Please login here and try again.

If you do not have an account, Register Now.

Login is required to interact with this comment. Please and try again.