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Free Subscription to The Chronicle of Higher Education
Oh Wow! Did you know you can access the Chronicle of Higher Education through the institution's subscription? Sign-up for a free account to get access to The Chronicle from off campus. Have fun! - Fritz
How to file for unemployment benefits
This is a difficult time for many folks and if you or someone you know has been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, here is a helpful overview of how unemployment benefits work and how to file. While unemployment assistance is managed federally, each state has a slightly different program, so you will want to check your specific state’s requirements. - Abby
Wonder From Home - Atlas Obscura
You might be familiar with Atlas Obscura, the website (and book!) that bills itself as “the definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders,” but have you seen their new series Wonder From Home? This series highlights the stories, projects, people, and objects that “inspire and help us all hold on to our spirit of discovery and sense of community” even when we are stuck at home. Wonder From Home has already introduced me to digitized museum exhibits, virtual tours of interesting buildings, and engaging volunteer opportunities (my favorites are the project to transcribe the historical papers of Rosa Parks and the quest to find the weirdest artifact at the Smithsonian). Subscribe to their newsletter or visit often to get a good dose of what’s out there in the wide world. - Tillie
Your (yes your) Goshen Public Library Card
If you are a GC student, you get a Goshen public library card, which means thousands upon thousands of digital resources like ebooks, audiobooks, movies, graphic novels, and magazines are there for you to access for free! Don’t have a Goshen Public Library Card? No problem! Goshen public just rolled out their GPL Digital Card system, which means you can sign up from home! Just remember to list 1700 South Main Street, Goshen Indiana 46526 as your address. - Fritz
The Calm Place - New York Times
Did you know that you have access to a free digital subscription to the New York Times? In addition to current reporting, you can also access their complete archives going all the way back to 1851. But what I am currently enjoying is The Calm Place, a single web page with calming gifs, an emotional support dog and some nice tips for taking a few deep breaths and focusing on something other than the news. - Abby
Coronavirus Misinformation Tracking Center
Hard to believe, but the fake news creators have jumped on the COVID-19 bandwagon. The Coronavirus Misinformation Tracking Center website is tracking websites around the world that have been sharing the opposite of what us librarians love - misinformation. You may not be surprised by the sources sharing some of this misinformation, but some of it you may be. - Eric
Missing Baseball this spring?
While the MLB may have had to delay the start of the 2020 season, you can still get 18 hours of baseball magic. Ken Burns has allowed his documentary, Baseball, to stream for free on PBS. It may not be the same as spring training, but hopefully it will help you get your baseball fix. - Abby
Down Dog app
Feeling the need to get exercise but don’t want to wander into the cold and gray? Log into Down Dog with your @goshen.edu email address and you’ll have free access to customizable workouts for any skill level (including yoga, barre, and high-intensity impact training) until July 1st. - Tillie
Working from Home Tips - Wall Street Journal
Now that our homes have become offices and classrooms, it’s important to adjust the spaces accordingly. The Wall Street Journal, of which the library has an online subscription has posted a series of articles for business professionals making the move to a home office. A March 26 article “Tips for Becoming the Best Video Version of Yourself,” has some great advice. Here’s a few recommendations to get started: wear a complete outfit (including pants), remove clutter from the backdrop behind you, and don’t get too close to the camera. - Eric
Inside Scoop - Springshare Community
Ever wonder how librarians find half of the stuff they find? We know you do!! Well, check out the Springshare Community. A huge number (maybe the majority of academic libraries in the US?) use a service called LibGuides to make their webpages. And then they share that content with one another. For example, if some librarian at some major university somewhere makes a library guide for a Shakespeare 101 class, you can see that guide. Bottom line: this is a great resource for instructors, librarians, and researchers looking for quality and vetted “research guides”. - Fritz
More articles and books electronically
Did you know the majority of the library’s collection is accessible to you electronically? We own twice as many ebooks as books and almost 10 times as many electronic periodicals than physical periodicals. Additionally, as colleges and universities moved to remote learning this spring, many vendors have opened up sections of their collections for temporary free access. This includes a bunch of big names like EBSCO, JSTOR, Duke University Press and many more. We have added these collections to our library catalog, so all you need to do to access them is start your research at library.goshen.edu - Abby
Up-to-date list of free streaming concerts
Isolation due to COVID-19 has prompted many individuals and organizations to host free concerts, but it can be hard to keep track of what is happening when. Enter NPR, which now has a list of concerts by date and genre to remind you of these fun opportunities. Check it out regularly to learn about the many listening options for your favorite music, be it classical, pop, folk, or something else entirely. - Tillie
COVID-19 Healthcare Information Portal - EBSCO
Are you wanting a one-stop shop for authoritative sources on COVID-19? EBSCO has developed the COVID-19 Healthcare Information Portal. It compiles real-time information updates from CDC, WHO, and international resources, as well as the developing scholarly medical literature. When your social media feed is telling you something that sounds questionable about COVID-19, this is a great source to check out. - Eric
Windy weather app
With tornado season starting, the Windy app shows you what the wind is doing all over the world. It’s mesmerizing. In a thunderstorm you can use the weather radar to track where lightning is striking, and if a lightning bolt strikes near you, your phone will vibrate. - Judy
Jelle’s Marble Runs
Missing live sporting events? Well fear not! Marble sports are still going strong! Check out Jelle’s Marble Runs for a variety of marble events. There are Speedway races (think Nascar), Summer MarbLympics, and winter MarbleLympics. (the bobsled is just classic). You will find yourself cheering madly for your favorite Marble Team (Go Orangers!). But the best part is live play by play commentary. - Fritz
Internet Archive’s National Emergency Library
While online library collections have blossomed during this pandemic, let’s face it: with library buildings (and print book interlibrary loan) shut down, there are many materials currently not available to you. Enter Internet Archive. They have developed the National Emergency Library, a temporarily free collection which includes scanned copies of the entire former Marygrove College library and 250,000 books from Trent University. Simply create a free Internet Archive account to check out any book from the collection. - Eric
Free year of Balance: Meditation Pro
There are a lot of meditation apps out there, but Balance: Meditation is continually top-ranked, and now you can upgrade to a pro account for a full year for free on iOS platforms (soon to follow on Android). Install the free app on your iPad or iPhone and follow these instructions from CNET to upgrade to Pro and start a tailor-made meditation program designed to address your specific needs. I’ve been using it for almost two weeks now and think it’s great. - Tillie
CREDO Reference
Hey Faculty! Are you tired of students picking topics that are entirely too broad (Western Theater in a 5 page paper!). I think that sometimes we [those who have had the opportunity / privilege to live and eat and breathe higher education] forget that many many students can struggle when it comes to putting a subject into the proper context. CREDO Reference can provide that context. Just make sure students understand that CREDO is just a starting spot … not the end! - Fritz
Humans of New York
What started as a simple New York City street photography project by Brandon Stanton has grown into an international collection of ordinary people and their extraordinary stories. Stanton’s current series is called #quarentinestories and focuses on positive stories submitted by his readers from around the world. I highly recommend reading a few as a reminder of the good in humanity - Abby
Ithaka S+R Blogs
Seeking an alternative or a compliment to the Chronicle? We would suggest Ithaka S+R. Traditionally, Ithaka has produced reports that focus on a variety of issues in higher education. But did you know that they also have a very active blog page? For instance, I found this blog post to be very timely! - Fritz
Free video games and board games
Are you missing the library’s board game collection? I am, but I’ve discovered plenty of quality games that are now free. If you’ve got access to a printer, I’d recommend checking out the variety of classic games from Asmodee that you can now download and print, including Catan, Dixit, and my personal favorite, Unlock! Escape Room Adventures. If you want something a little less classic and a bit more provocative, try Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition which is an all-ages version of the game that is still pretty darn funny (note: you'll have to click through some agreements, including one that some may find politically offensive). If you want quality video games, GOG is offering a whopping 27 new and classic games you can download here, and Epic Games is offering a rotating selection of free games that normally retail for $20-30. As you throw yourself into schoolwork, don’t forget to set aside time to play! -- Tillie
Prison Workout Routine
Are you missing access to the Rec Fit Center? Unsure of the wide array of fitness apps and YouTube videos. Consider the Prison Workout, a series of body exercises designed to be done within a limited space such as a prison cell or one’s home during a pandemic. Heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson made this workout style famous (particularly his Tyson pistol squat workout) when incarcerated for three years at Indiana’s Plainfield Correctional Facility. Bodypusher.com includes a great set of videos for 12 prison workout routines. Also, Kindle books L.J. Flanders' Cell Workout, Coss Marte’s ConBody, and John Bryant's Jailhouse Strong show both the mechanics of the workout and how physical exercise in time of isolation can bring out restoration. -Eric
Free Online Comics
There’s lots of good ones out there, but here’s three to start with, guaranteed to please (and even worth a second read, if you have the time)--
Girl Genius: Still going strong since 2002, this comic won the Hugo Award for Online Comics three years in a row, and then voluntarily removed themselves from the ballot to give somebody else a chance. Mad Science! Silly Operas! Jolly Monsters! You don’t even have to be a Steam-Punk fan to enjoy the fun and excitement--Besides, where else are you going to meet someone named Gilgamesh Wulfenbach?
Mare Internum and Earthsong: These are shorter, and now completed comics, both with excellent art and satisfying stories. Mare is science fiction with a very unexpected take on Mars Exploration, while Earthsong is an absorbing fantasy with elements taken from myth, fairy tale, anime, and even a bit of Disney, to name a few. - Esther
Free Trial of Metropolitan Opera On Demand
If you are a fan of opera and looking for more ways to watch it from your home, you are in luck. The library has a free trial of the Metropolitan Opera On Demand subscription available to all Goshen College users now through May 31, 2020. Use this link to access the site. You will need to sign in with your GC username and password. Happy watching! - Abby
Why It's So Hard to Talk to Your Parents About the Coronavirus?
Have you noticed generational differences in the COVID-19 response? If so, you’re not alone. Psychiatrist Marc Agronin has observed three distinct responses among adults marked by age: Fortyish, Sixtyish, and Eightyish. Fortyish individuals are more likely to quarantine and encourage their parents to do so, while sixtyish and eightyish individuals are more prone to ignore stay-at-home orders. Agronin provides rationale to the responses, and how best to communicate across the generations. - Eric
Webcam of Schrock Plaza
Do you miss sitting in the 2nd floor lounge of the library and taking a nap studying? Well pull up your iPad or laptop and check out this live feed of the plaza. Watch the squirrels, occasionally pedestrians, the weather or join us in waiting with bated breath for the fountain to be turned out. So many exciting possibilities! - Abby
Kroger: Easy to use online
Both locally and nationally, Kroger offers a variety of easy-to-use online services, alternative to in-store shopping, such as Pick-Up, Delivery, and Shipping. And they’re faster, more reliable and less expensive than some other options, especially now. - Esther
GeoGuessr: pretend you are somewhere else
If you’ve been working hard and need a break for a few minutes, I highly recommend playing a round or two of GeoGuessr. This game uses Google street view to plop you down into a random locale on the globe. Then look around and use your deductive reasoning to guess where you are - what side of the road are people driving on? What language is on the road signs? What does the scenery look like? The closer you guess to the actual location, the more points you get. - Tillie
Free Streaming Theater
You can watch a different free production from the National Theatre every week. Every Thursday at 3:00 ET, a production — filmed in front of an audience in a London theater — will be streamed and then be available on demand for seven days. Visit the National Theatre’s website for more information on what plays will be available. I saw "Treasure Island" and "Frankenstein." Fabulous!!! - Beth
The Last Dance: 1990’s Chicago Bulls Basketball Documentary
Starved for sports, or at the least more gentler times? The sports cable network ESPN is currently playing a ten part documentary on Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls. Originally set to air in June, ESPN moved the date up due to a freer (or non-existent) sports schedule during COVID-19. More than just another sports documentary, The Last Dance takes you back to the late nineties culture and style, and chronicles the challenges and struggles of the dominant Bulls dynasty and its larger than life personalities. Throw on those loose-fitting flat-front khaki chinos, dab in some hair gel, and enjoy the memories. - Eric
Pet Comfort from the Cat Daddy
For those alarmed about news that felines may be vulnerable to COVID-19, here’s good News from Jackson Galaxy, the original “Cat Whisperer,” and a reliable source for pet info. Just click on the orange banner at the top of the page. - Esther
Your Support of the Goofier Side of the Library
As you may have noticed, this is the 3rd year the library folks have been running the May Madness Out of Context Quote Championship. While we enjoy the process of gathering and sorting through the random amusing things library folks say, the best part is seeing you all participate and vote for your favorites. With over 500 votes cast so far, thanks to everyone who has voted so far. Missing the fun? Just read your Communicator (sign in required) every day and vote for your favorite quote. - Abby
"With Hope and Resilience: Reflections from our Learning Community"
I have been enjoying this blog from AMBS containing thoughtful contributions from students, teaching faculty, retired faculty, administrators and staff amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. - Cynthia
The Book Bundler
With limited access to our favorite libraries and brick and mortar bookstores many of our reading and book acquisition patterns have changed. If you’re missing the chance to explore a new set of good old fashioned print books, consider The Book Bundler. They sell used kids and adult books in bundles in all sorts of categories, such as by genre, series, or reading level. Great for kids missing their weekly trip to the public library, or for wanting to try something new during the lock-in. - Eric
Want to practice another language?
Try out My Lingo app and stream movies in Spanish and other languages! Revisit your international experience by enjoying movies in the language you studied. - Beth
Contact-Free Lobby Pick-up
Starting next week on May 26th, you can once again request physical materials from the Good Library. This system is the same one we use for interlibrary loan, but if you need a refresher, check out these instructions. Once the item you request is available, we will contact you via email and you can stop by the library lobby Monday through Thursday 12-4pm. For more information on this system and library services this summer, check out our website. - Fritz
On Facebook: Join “Corona Cats”
Need a laugh or just love cats helping their homebound persons with work and activities? Join the group “Corona Cats” on Facebook for fun and giggles. - Beth
#coronacut
Hairstylists and barbers are missed, as well as their highly trained professional skills. As many have attempted home haircuts (or a “quarantine self-cut”) during the pandemic, the #CoronaCut hashtag has surfaced across social media. While most of the images are selfies of buzz cuts, there are quite a few comical and charming pictures. - Eric
“All Together Alone in the Chrysalis”
You may have heard of OK Go from their many amazing viral music videos over the past decade. Recently they released a new song, “All Together Now,” which was written, recorded, and filmed by the band in isolation from each other. It is both a fun video to watch and a song that feels very relevant to our current situation. You can watch the video here, or if you can download it here (proceeds are being donated to Partners in Health). - Abby
The Risks - Know Them - Avoid Them
This post was shared widely on social media and also got a call out via the New York Times as a good explanation of how the COVID-19 virus spreads. It is written by a Comparative Immunologist and Professor of Biology (specializing in Immunology). I found it useful as a way to think about what risks to take and what to avoid during this time - Carol