New and Noteworthy is the City Tech Library O.E.R. Team’s bi-weekly roundup of new and noteworthy O.E.R. We try to include at least one O.E.R. relevant to each school at City Tech in every post. At the end of the month, these resources will be compiled and distributed by the library liaison for your department. Please contact us if you know of new or particularly interesting O.E.R. to share with our colleagues or would like more information about O.E.R. initiatives at City Tech.
Arts & Sciences
- An Introduction to African and Afro-Diasporic Peoples and Influences in British Literature and Culture before the Industrial Revolution, by Jonathan Elmore and Jenni Halpin, University System of Georgia (2021).
License: CC BY-NC-SA
“Funded by the University System of Georgia’s “Affordable Learning Georgia” initiative, An Introduction to African and Afro-Diasporic Peoples and Influences in British Literature and Culture before the Industrial Revolution corrects, expands, and celebrates the presence of the African Diaspora in the study of British Literature, undoing some of the anti-Black history of British studies.”
- forall x: Calgary, by Aaron Thomas-Bolduc, Richard Zach, P. D. Magnus, and Tim Button, University of Calgary (2020). License: CC BY
“forall x: Calgary is a full-featured textbook on formal logic. It covers key notions of logic such as consequence and validity of arguments, the syntax of truth-functional propositional logic TFL and truth-table semantics, the syntax of first-order (predicate) logic FOL with identity (first-order interpretations), translating (formalizing) English in TFL and FOL, and Fitch-style natural deduction proof systems for both TFL and FOL. It also deals with some advanced topics such as modal logic, soundness, and functional completeness. Exercises with solutions are available. It is provided in PDF (for screen reading, printing, and a special version for dyslexics) and in LaTeX source code.”
- Introduction to Anthropology, by Jennifer Hasty, David G. Lewis, and Marjorie M. Snipes, OpenStax (2022). License: CC BY
“Designed to meet the scope and sequence of your course, OpenStax Introduction to Anthropology is a four-field text integrating diverse voices, engaging field activities, and meaningful themes like Indigenous experiences and social inequality to engage students and enrich learning. The text showcases the historical context of the discipline, with a strong focus on anthropology as a living and evolving field. There is significant discussion of recent efforts to make the field more diverse—in its practitioners, in the questions it asks, and in the applications of anthropological research to address contemporary challenges. In addressing social inequality, the text drives readers to consider the rise and impact of social inequalities based on forms of identity and difference (such as gender, ethnicity, race, and class) as well as oppression and discrimination. The contributors to and dangers of socioeconomic inequality are fully addressed, and the role of inequality in social dysfunction, disruption, and change is noted.”
Professional Studies
- Garde Manger: A Guide to the Cold Kitchen, by William Thibodeaux and Marshall Welsh, LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network (2021).
License: CC BY-NC-SA
“The Garde Manger course is an introduction to the art and craft of the cold kitchen. It is rooted in preservation methods and techniques dating back to the days when the Garde Manger or ‘keeper of the food’ had no refrigeration and needed to preserve food for its wholesomeness. Techniques such as aspics and terrines are making a resurgence in the modern kitchen and a good foundation is important for you to be able to create your own niche as a modern chef. First, learn the old then redefine the new.” - Introduction to Baking and Pastries, by Tammy Rink, LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network (2021). License: CC BY-NC-SA
“This introductory text on baking and pastries cover the following topics: baking and pastry equipment; dry ingredients; quick breads; yeast doughs; pastry doughs; custards; cake and buttercreams; pie doughs and ice cream; mousses, Bavarians, and souffle; and cookies. The appendix includes measurement and conversion charts, cake terms, and industry resources.” - Public Health Image Library, by Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (2022). License: Public Domain and Copyright Protected
“Much of the information critical to the communication of public health messages is pictorial rather than text-based. Created by a Working Group at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the PHIL offers an organized, universal electronic gateway to CDC’s pictures. We welcome public health professionals, the media, laboratory scientists, educators, students, and the worldwide public to use this material for reference, teaching, presentation, and public health messages. Many images are “Public Domain” (free use), but some are “Copyright Protected” (restricted, obtain permission before use).”
Technology & Design
- Basic Motor Control by Aaron Lee and Chad Flinn, BCcampus (2020). License: CC BY
This readily accessible online resource was developed for anyone who has interest in, or works with, AC motors and their associated motor control equipment. Whether you are an electrical apprentice learning about the subject in school or a seasoned journeyperson installing equipment in the field, you will find it easy to navigate through the descriptive text, original diagrams, and explanatory videos to find the exact information you are looking for.
- Introduction to Electronics by Tim Grebner, Minnesota State Opendora (2019). License: CC BY-NC
The advent of electronics has had a profound impact on our lives and impacted nearly every product that we use either directly or indirectly. Without electronics, present day computers, cell phones, stereos, televisions, and the internet would not be possible. And of course, without computers and modern communications tools, society could not have made the huge strides in fields such as medicine, aerospace technologies, meteorology, transportation, agriculture, education, and many others. It is for these reasons that the invention of the transistor is considered as one of the most important technological advancements in history.
- Technics and Architecture: The Development of Materials and Systems for Building by Cecil D. Elliott, MIT Open Pres (reprint of 1994 classic).
License: CC BY-NC-ND
In this richly illustrated history Cecil Elliott focuses on a neglected aspect of architecture, the technics of building form. Elliott tells the story in two parts, first covering materials – in chapters on wood, masonry, terracotta, iron and steel, glass, cement, and reinforced concrete – and then systems – including lightning protection, sanitation, lighting, heating, air conditioning, elevators and escalators, fire protection, structural engineering, and acoustics. Each chapter begins with a review of the relevant classical and medieval technology, then focuses on developments over the past two centuries, including related business, political, scientific, or social events where these impinge on development or usage.
City Tech O.E.R. team
Cailean Cooney, Assistant Professor, OER Librarian: ccooney@citytech.cuny.edu
Joshua Peach, Adjunct Reference & OER Librarian: jpeach@citytech.cuny.edu
Rachel Jones, Adjunct Librarian
