Fall semester is almost upon us and if you are looking to acquire textbooks for your classes, remember that the library does not purchase textbooks. Luckily, there are some alternatives for you to consider:

1) Stop by the circulation desk to see if the book has been put on reserve by your professor for your class. Make sure you provide the people at the desk the instructor last name and the title of the book. Or you can check yourself by going to Course Reserves and looking for the course by instructor name, course ID or title.

2) Rent the textbook through the UAA Campus Bookstore or purchase a used copy.

For additional options: check out our Textbook guide .

The topic of fake news is frequently in the “news” these days.  Sometimes the stories are truly “fake” and other times they are misleading.  How can one tell the difference?  The Consortium Library has a library guide that provides information about identifying and navigating fake news and misleading information.

Did you know there are over 3 million lakes in Alaska? Only 3,000 or so have official names. Celebrate one this July, when the North American Lake Management Society celebrates Lakes Appreciation Month.

The Consortium Library and ARLIS have a plethora of material on Alaska lakes, including information on water quality, fish populations, potential waterpower, maps, and much more. See a sample of the list here.

The website from the Library of Congress called America’s Story states that the first Memorial Day took place in 1868.  If you are curious about the origins of Memorial Day, then there are many great government resources that you can consult. The Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs has an extensive collection of resource links listed on their Memorial Day website for helpful information.  Also, the Consortium Library has numerous reference and government sources having to do with Memorial Day. Some examples include The Encyclopedia of War and American Society, and American Civil War: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection. To search for sources from the main Consortium Library homepage, type “Memorial Day” History into the QuickSearch box. You can then, for example, select Reference listed under Content Type on the left side of the screen. Feel free to ask a librarian for assistance in locating additional resources.

Anchorage will host a number of activities for the North by North (NxN) Festival on the sidelines of the Arctic Council Ministerial gathering in Fairbanks. Events include an arts, crafts, & culture expo, a circumpolar film festival, and a local food and beer tasting. Many of these unique happenings are free, others have a fee, or you can buy a pass for $20.

You can also register for Innovate Arctic at the Anchorage Museum, a full day of TED-style talks, interactive exhibits, and topic-driven breakout sessions on Arctic topics including cold climate housing, northern agriculture, tourism, renewable energy, telecommunications, and education.

To see the full schedule and for much more information, go to the NxN website.