The first Saturday in June is National Black Bear Day, and while that might seem like an odd thing for a library to celebrate, the Consortium Library’s partner institution, Alaska Resources Library & Information Services, or ARLIS, might be one of the only libraries that includes a black bear in its catalog

Photo from Nalewicki, Jennifer. “This Library in Anchorage Lends out Taxidermic Specimens.” Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/library-anchorage-lends-out-taxidermy-specimens-180971948/. Accessed 2 June 2024.. 

Together, the Consortium Library and ARLIS offer numerous resources for those studying animal biology and wildlife management, including the databases Web of Science, which provides extensive scientific scholarly literature, and Zoological Record, which is the world’s leading taxonomic reference and the oldest continuing database of animal biology.

Check out the Biological Sciences Guide for further resources if you’re interested in biology!

Does this situation sound familiar? It’s late at night, and you just want to go to bed, but you can’t seem to make headway on that paper or homework assignment. Where to turn?

Fortunately, the library has resources to help you. 

Check out the Learning Commons on the first floor to find tutoring times for Math, Writing, Science, Engineering, Nursing, Languages, and Communication & Presentation. 

SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway) also provides Live Homework Help, which provides help with a number of different subjects, from Math and Biology to Writing or History. It is available from 8 AM – 2 AM (AK Time) Mondays-Fridays and Noon – 2 AM (AK Time) Saturdays & Sundays. You can chat with a live tutor online, submit a paper for review, get help writing a resume or cover letter, or even practice for a test, including grad school exams. Best of all, it’s free for all Alaskans! Which means if your child needs help with their math homework or a research project, they can use it, too.

As the new semester begins, so does the race to purchase new textbooks for each class. It’s not uncommon for students to spend anywhere from $300 to $900 or even more in one semester. That’s why the library has compiled a guide to help you reduce your textbook cost!

While it is rare to find textbooks at the library, your instructor may have placed a textbook on reserve for your class or may have some other class materials (such as videos, book chapters, journal articles, or homework help) available for you to use. Be sure to search the Course Reserves for your class at https://libguides.consortiumlibrary.org/reserves; all you’ll need is the Course ID or your instructor’s name.

If you’re a faculty member, you can learn more about Textbook Affordability at UAA and APU at https://libguides.consortiumlibrary.org/textbookaffordability. Need help finding open educational resources (OER) for your class? This guide to OER will help you get started. Both APU and UAA faculty also have the opportunity to apply for the OER/ZTC (Zero-cost Textbook) Certificate and earn the Affordable Course Materials Award from the consortium library.

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed into law a joint resolution recognizing November as “National American Indian Heritage Month“, also known as Alaska Native and Native American Heritage Month, in order to recognize the “essential and unique contribution[s]” that Native Americans have made “to our nation . . . [and] to the world”.

The Consortium Library offers many resources to help us celebrate and research the culture, history, trials, and contributions of Alaska Natives and Native Americans. It also collects works by Alaska Native authors and illustrators.

Many resources specific to Alaska are located in the Alaskana collection on the second floor of the library. In addition, there are numerous online resources that SLED provides access to via their list of Native and Indigenous Peoples resources.

If you’re interested in an overview of the many books, e-books, journal articles, DVDs, and streaming videos provided by the Consortium library or in resources about Alaska Native and Native American languages, check out our Alaska Native / Native American Heritage Month Guide.

It is our hope that these resources will assist our community as we grow in awareness of the cultures, traditions, and heritage of indigenous peoples, particularly here in Alaska.

As the semester winds down, perhaps your thoughts are turning to comfort foods and holiday feasting.

Did you know that the UAA/APU Consortium library collection includes a large cookbook collection? If you’d like to take a break from your studies by spending some time in the kitchen, we have lots of inspiration for you!

A quick search of the Consortium Library Catalog will help you find these resources. You can limit your search to just books in the UAA/APU Consortium. Searching by subject terms will also be helpful. Subject searches for “seasonal cooking“, “holiday cooking“, or for a particular holiday plus the phrase “cooking” (i.e., “Kwanzaa cooking” or “Christmas cooking“, etc.) will yield results that will send you running to the kitchen.

Want some recipes using Alaskan foods? Try searching “cooking – Alaska” or “food – Alaska“. You’ll find recipes with salmon, halibut, berries, and many other traditional foods. A search for “wild plants, edible – Alaska” or “cooking – game” will provide multiple cookbooks with Alaskan recipes. 

Enjoy your time in the kitchen, and happy eating!