With the Library opening/ribbon-cutting and SACS visit behind us, we want to invite you to come and see our exhibit in the Fay Cassity Allison Gallery. The display features Photography, Arts and Ceramic works by our Panola College Faculty, Staff and Students that are simply amazing. If you have not had a chance to take a tour of our beautiful building, this is a good opportunity to do so and enjoy the gallery exhibit on display as well. We will host the exhibit until November 13th. For our virtual visitors, feast your eyes–

Hello everyone!

As we begin the semester, we would like to invite each and everyone to come and visit your new library–newly expanded library. The photos below will give you an eyeview of additions and changes to get you excited as we are of the new facility. Study rooms, re-designed information desk, study tables overlooking the manicured lawn thru tall glass windows, multipurpose room for college or community sponsored events, students’ vending/lounge area, gallery– are just but a few of the beautiful additions we want you to see and hope will make use of . With all the intricacies and challenges that went with this project, we are quite proud of the outcome  and we think you will be too. We hope to see soon!!!

The library is pleased to provide the opportunity for our college community to enjoy the contributions of our student artists. Please come by the library and view their work. It will be available until May 15th. Also featured are the pen and ink drawings of Panola History Instructor, James Hallmark. These drawings depict various battles researched by Mr. Hallmark and will also be on display until May 15th.

The expansion project is on going still. However, the Library has moved to the newly built area for the Phase I of the construction. Phase II is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2009. The main entrance is located on the east side of the campus–facing the Fine Arts Building. The offices and the collections were re-arranged. Current periodicals, microfilm and microfiche collection, bound periodicals, fiction, Audiobooks, VHS & DVD collections are located downstairs. There are 12 machines available at the open computer lab on the first floor. The non-fiction circulating books, reference collection, nursing & allied health sciences collection including journals are on the second floor.  Across the floor alongside the tall book shelves on the second floor are  magnificent glass windows lined with study tables accented with reading lamps. Access to the second floor is thru the elevator only. The reference desk is directly located across the floor coming out of the elevator. Librarians are available at the desk to provide assistance (face-to-face or virtual to all users) during library hours. Study rooms are available for walk-in users. Reservation for a scheduled use of a study room will be offered very soon. Materials can be checked out/in at the circulation desk on the first floor immediately across the main entrance door. Blow are before and after photos of the construction project.

Library - new entrance view

Library - main entry doorway

Second floor bookshelves

Second floor- reading table

Second floor - reading table

Second floor - study room

We are offering an opportunity for our Panola College community to see and enjoy our students’ artistic creations. Please join us in recognizing and applauding our Arts/Ceramics and photography students’ accomplishments. Participants for the Arts and Ceramics exhibit include–Lily Marshall, Jamile Martin, Kristena Massiah, Hannah Oden, Josh Ramsey, Megan Tribbey, Amy Wiggins, Mary Kay Davis, Chloe Powell, Chase Whidden, Adrian Hall, Britanny Marx, Chauncy William.  

In an effort to bring awareness and promote collegial experience to First-time students of Panola College, M. P. Baker Library endeavored to reach out to these students. Announcement and welcome notes were sent to these first-timers via email, WebCT and postal mail. As incentive to utilize the resources and services of the Library, these students were invited to come by and pick-up their ‘welcome care package.’ Additionally, names of students who did checked out library items were entered in a grand prize drawing–courtesy of Sodexho.

Approximately 25% of the 682 first time students came and the Library Staff had a chance to meet and bid each of them a Panola College welcome.  With the assistance of our esteemed colleague, Mrs. Ann Boland who picked and announced the winner yesterday–Nicholas Sonnier was awarded the grand prize. On behalf of the M. P. Baker Library staff and our college community we wish him well in his educational pursuits. Congratulations, Nick!!!

Photo shows Nick with our Evening Librarian, Sherri Baker

Feast your eyes with this wonderful creation–courtesy of our very own, Mrs. May Whitten, for the enjoyment of our coach and his players. We wish you a very good season!!!

Panola College Baseball - cake

Please let us know how we can serve your your library needs better.

As stated in our catalog, Panola College Petroleum Technology Program is a two-year, four semester course of study. During the two-year program, students will attend fall and spring classes on campus follwed by summer internships. Interns will the have the opportunity to apply knowledge learned in real world situations working alongside professionals within gas pipeline companies, gas processing/gathering companies or gas compressor rental fleets.

As we build our collection, selection and acquisitions of materials do reflect our efforts in support of our college’s programs. We have acquired current as well as older materials (as approved by Petroleum Technology Director) to serve as core collection for curricular and research needs of our faculty and students in the program. Attached is a list of materials which include serials, books (electronic and print format) as well as AV resources. As an added value service, M.P. Baker Library enables the staff at the Shelby Regional Training Center to Check-out/Check-in curricular items for the students in the program.

As we begin the semester with all the changes and great anticipation for our new building, we thought perhaps this is a good opportunity to bring focus to our resources–program resources that is. In preparation for our ‘compliance report’ the question we are asked to consider is institutional programs support. In short, it is required of us evidence for things that we say  ”we do.” So how do we support Panola College’s programs?

For this purpose, within the next few months we will feature collection (resources) and services targeted to specific department. Please note that as we evaluate books to acquire, journals or database to subscribe, we look at collection development tools, publication reviews, usage statistics, faculty/student request and course syllabi in this process. It goes without saying– we consider input from our (users) constituents and or students  invaluable.

This first series, we feature our Nursing Department–ADN and LVN resources. In 2007-2008 we acquired roughly $7,600.00 print resources to replace the outdated/weeded obsolete publications. In addition, media resources were analyzed and reviewed for possible updates. System reports were done to determine usage and vendors lists were collated for revised/current editions. We are in accord with our Nursing Department in asserting that these multimedia resources are exhorbitantly priced so we prioritize acquisitions. Below are the first installment of the DVD titles updates :

Head to Toe Assessment: the Neonate, Labor and Delivery, Nursing Negligence: What You Need to Know, Shock Therapy, Thin: Death By Eating Disorder, Intravenous Therapy, Intravenous Medications, Administering IV Fluid Therapy, Peripheral IV Access and Nursing Responsibilities, and Administering Medications.

We are adding a few online journals to our serials subscriptions to include–American Journal of Nursing, Birth, Evidence Based Nursing, Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, MCN: the American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, Nursing Management.

This year’s library statistical report shows remarkable usage of nursing online resources.

Ebsco–CINAHL : 6310  HealthSource Nursing Academic: 3700  Medline: 4629 

Gale–Nursing Resource Center: 909  Health Reference Center: 404 Health & Wellness: 921

In our estimation, the Assessment Team visit is indicative of us meeting our goals in service of our institution and constituents. The Staff expresses gratitude to Dr. Lillian Cook, Vice President of Instruction in recognizing the Library as a ‘Compliance Star Performer.’ We are honored.

The Last Lecture–In this book, Randy Pausch who was diagnosed with a terminal cancer shared his wisdom on overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment. This is a lecture that he delivered at Carnegie Mellon, that has reached phenomenal heights. The video has been viewed by more than two million viewers.

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain–In this book the famous neurologist, Dr. Oliver Sacks chronicled series of medical case studies and the role of music in our lives and its relationship to the brain.