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By Mandi Enger

Yet to be released to the general public, final stages of Google Glass development is being guided through the Glass Explorer Program, an opportunity for select users to purchase the optical head-mounted display technology and share feedback and ideas with Google. Staying on the forefront of emerging technology, the Nevada State College Marydean Martin Library joined the program in late December 2013, acquiring Google Glass for the campus to test and explore.
While Google Glass is more of a personal piece of technology, it can be adapted in ways to enable sharing among many users, said Ernesto Hernandez, emerging technologies librarian at the college. I look forward to working with our campus community to brainstorm uses that will enhance our learning environments online and in the classroom.
With functionality similar to a smartphone or tablet, Google Glass responds to the voice command Ok Glass to navigate through apps on the device. Basic apps provide users the ability to search online, request directions, view news or weather reports, take photos and video, post content directly to social media sites, and stream live video. The user sees the display through a small glass mounted in front of their right eye.
Initial use ideas for Google Glass on campus include the streaming of instruction from both faculty and library staff. Participating in a Google+ hangout, students would have the opportunity to view footage on their mobile devices from the vantage point of an instructor wearing Google Glass. Content could cover such material as a dissection in a biology class, a real-time review of a submitted paper, or a field-trip experience.
A Google Glass Day was held in the Marydean Martin Library on Jan. 29 for the campus to test and review the device. The technology will available on an ongoing basis for checkout by faculty and staff. On-site demonstrations will additionally be held by library staff as requested by students.
All campus participants are encouraged to share Google Glass ideas and feedback on Twitter using #NSCGlass.
For more information about Google Glass or other technology available within the Marydean Martin Library, please email library@nsc.edu or send a tweet to @NSC_Library.

We look forward to sharing our project with the entire community as the history of Henderson is one that we all share, said Melissa Stoner, digital project manager.

Funding to support undergraduate oral history research on the City of Henderson
By Mandi Enger
History students at Nevada State College (NSC) will be working to preserve Henderson’s past by collecting oral histories of area residents with the support of a recent $97,000 Library Services and Technology Act Grant (LSTA). Working closely with academic faculty and library staff, students will develop job skills in oral history collection and digital archiving while participating in an undergraduate research project focused on the southern Nevada city, titled Bridging the Past, Henderson Memories.
NSC is honored to have received the Library Services and Technology Act grant to support our college’s efforts to document Henderson’s history, said Peter La Chapelle, associate professor of history, who worked with NSC librarian Kate Hahn on the grant application. We are constantly seeking opportunities for our students to learn through hands-on experiences and to complete their degree program with marketable skills.
Project participants will work to convert over 30 historical interviews, previously collected by students in an upper division oral history course, into digitally accessible materials that will be available through a planned website. Additional interviews will be captured to document topics within the City of Henderson’s history such as the Basic Magnesium Inc. (BMI) plant in the 1940s; the Victory Village and Carver Park neighborhoods, housing communities for BMI workers; the St. Rose de Lima hospital, the city’s first hospital; and the growth of early religious institutions in the community.
Due to student interest in NSC’s founding, interviews will additionally capture the college’s11-year history. In total, the project will cover Henderson’s founding through present day.
NSC Digital Project Manager, Melissa Stoner, who was hired to coordinate the project, will teach history students foundational techniques for digital archiving through ContentDM, an electronic archival platform, to make the final research accessible to a variety of users. Project footage will be presented online for viewing by the public as early as this coming summer.
We look forward to sharing our project with the entire community as the history of Henderson is one that we all share, Stoner said.
The LSTA program is a federally funded grant program administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Science (IMLS), an independent federal grant making agency. IMLS provides funding to designated state agencies which in turn distributes those funds to institutions throughout the state through sub-grants. The NSC sub-grant was received through a competitive application process by the Nevada State Library and Archives. Grant funds are to be used over a 12-month period.

Assemblyman Thompson made an instant connection with our NSC students; he has a true gift for relating with all individuals, said Edith Fernández, associate vice president of community engagement and diversity initiatives. NSC was honored to have Mr. Thompson on our campus as we strive to connect our students with positive community leaders that can inspire our students to stay focused on their pathways to success.

By Mandi Enger
As the spring 2014 semester launched, Nevada State College welcomed nearly 3,400 students to campus with a series of Welcome Back and Get Involved Week events. The week’s theme, inspired by a Martin Luther King, Jr. quote, posed the question: What are you doing for others? Joining the campus on Wednesday, Jan. 22, State Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson hosted a discussion-based presentation for students, faculty, and staff to address the week’s question and to encourage each individual to become active in serving their community.
Highlighting the definition of social intelligence, Thompson and the event participants discussed the importance of being mindful of the thoughts and feelings of others and considered how an individual’s actions, volunteerism, and support can make an impact.
Always strive to find one organization that you can be really involved with and passionate about, Thompson challenged the group. Representing District 17 in North Las Vegas, Thompson has been an active Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) since 2007. He is additionally active in caring for the homeless as the Coordinator for the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition.
Student participants were invited to share how they engage with their community and make a difference for others. Psychology senior Lynette Medina spoke about her involvement as an active board member of Families for Effective Autism Treatment, an organization that provides resources, support, and activities for families affected by autism. It was important for me to become involved as this organization helped me when my son was diagnosed with autism, she shared. Medina has served on the board for four years.
Another student, integrated studies major Alexes Morgan, shared details about her volunteer experience working with students to develop their reading skills at a local Title 1 elementary school.
Recognizing the students passion for their communities, Thompson added, Keep up your energy and be persistent. You’ll see lives changing.
Assemblyman Thompson made an instant connection with our NSC students; he has a true gift for relating with all individuals, said Edith Fernández, associate vice president of community engagement and diversity initiatives. NSC was honored to have Mr. Thompson on our campus as we strive to connect our students with positive community leaders that can inspire our students to stay focused on their pathways to success.
Joining the college in November of 2013, Fernández is leading the development of diversity programs and events on campus that will engage students of all backgrounds in both their schoolwork and the community.
Fernández added, the southern Nevada community is full of dynamic, energetic, and successful individuals that our entire campus can learn from. Be on the lookout for more on-campus speaking events, student activities, and programs in the coming months.
NSC will continue the theme of helping others through February as the campus celebrates Black History Month. Upcoming speakers are scheduled to include Urban Chamber of Commerce member Hannah Brown, Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, and Regent Allison Stephens.
Additional Welcome Back and Get Involved Week events included Lunch with Leaders, an informal lunch for students to meet faculty and administrators; the Get Involved Fair, an opportunity for students to join NSC clubs or organizations; and a free student breakfast.