South College Library Blog

Finals period is a stressful time in the life of students. Looming deadlines, late-night study sessions, and fear of failure can create anxiety, loss of sleep, and potentially even impact student performance on final exams and papers. Students need healthy outlets and productive coping mechanisms for stress and  in order to perform their academic best. 

Believe it or not, a simple and accessible stress-busting strategy already exists: coloring. 

The Case for Coloring 

While most of us enjoyed (or at least, participated in) coloring as kids, not many of us have had an excuse to break out the crayon box since—until recently. Adult coloring as a trend has taken off since the mid-2010s, with many sources citing the publication of the Secret Garden coloring book by Johanna Basford in 2013 as a catalyst. Since then, many libraries have capitalized on the trend by offering coloring clubs and events for adults (Roy & Edwards, 2025; Blackburn & Chamley, 2016). These events have been very successful, with participants noting that they color to relieve stress or anxiety, unplug from technology, or as a form of socialization. 

Why Coloring Works 

Studies have shown that—even more than reading or even drawing—coloring boosts mood, mindfulness, and emotional regulation while also reducing anxiety (Holt et al., 2019; Turturro & Drake, 2022). Researchers have theorized that coloring, especially coloring repetitive patterns such as mandalas, promotes flow, or a positive state of mind in which an individual is fully absorbed with a focused task in front of them (Flicker et al., 2025). Coloring helps refocus the mind away from stressful thoughts of exams into a positive, creative mindset. This allows students to recenter, regroup, and cope better with the stressful finals period. 

Come Color with Us 

South College Library wants to help you de-stress this finals period by offering a variety of relaxing coloring sheets and colored pencils in each of its campus Resource Centers. Coloring supplies will be available December 12–18. We invite you to take a break from studying to Color and be Calm with us!

Get the Coloring Sheets

Can't make it to a library or resource center this week? No worries! Click an image below to download the corresponding coloring sheet. Print it out and color your stress away at home.

Library Resources

Still stressed out? Check out these library resources below on ways to reduce your stress through mindfulness and meditation.

Chris Byrns is the Associate Director of Library Services, based at Knoxville's Parkside Library. He has been with South College since March 2025.

1.  Name the question you get asked the most and share your go-to solution. 
   
   Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of APA citation questions. My go-to solution is the APA 7th Edition guide on the South College Library website. When it comes to APA, you’d be hard pressed to find a more user-friendly or better sourced guide.
    
2.  Point to one resource you wish students would utilize more and why it matters. 
   
   I wish more students took advantage of the tutorials on the library website. A lot of work has gone into creating these short, 2–3 minute videos, and they’re packed with useful information. Since all South College programs require library engagement, and research-intensive programs even more so, learning how to make the most of these resources is an investment that always pays off. 
    
3.  What’s one behind-the-scenes task that, if skipped, students would feel tomorrow? 
   
   I help coordinate room reservations at the Parkside Library. Between testing and studying, demand is high. Without this mediation, students would struggle to secure quiet study areas or rooms needed for makeup and accommodations testing. 
    
4. What inspired you to seek out a job in libraries? 
   
   Like many librarians, my path wasn’t direct. I originally planned to be an educator but couldn’t secure a position right after graduation. Since I had worked at John C. Hodges Library while at UT-Knoxville, I found a job at Lawson McGhee Library in Knoxville, which I thought would be a placeholder. I ended up loving it and decided to stay. What I enjoy most about being a librarian is the variety of people you meet and tasks to complete. People think they know what librarians do, but the scope is much broader than they realize. The only real throughline is that librarians help people solve problems. 
    
5. If you could recommend one book that everyone should read, what would it be? 
   
   After 12 years as a public librarian, I developed a deep appreciation for picture books. They’re far more impactful than most people realize. My favorite is Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, about a girl who transforms her cold, dreary town with a magical box of yarn. But the one I think everyone should read is The Fate of Fausto by Oliver Jeffers, a powerful story about the pitfalls of greed. 
    
6. What’s the movie you’re watching every Christmas? 
   
   My family really leans into the holidays with activities and movies every year. If I had to pick one, it’s Home Alone. As a 90s kid, I was the target audience when it first came out, and now watching it with my children is a highlight of the season. It’s a fun reminder that family, even when they are the worst, are actually the best. Honorable mention goes to the 1964 stop-motion Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. As a bearded redhead, I’ve always had a soft spot for Yukon Cornelius.

Did you know that the South College Library provides students, faculty, and staff access to over 100,000 ebooks? The changing foliage, cooler temperatures, and fall holidays energize many people to cook, bake, and share their favorite dishes with family and friends. Enjoy this collection of recipe books from cultures around the world and get inspiration for your latest culinary creation!

Comfort Food

Thank you to everyone who participated in last month's Name the Skull Contest. We had over 450 entries and tons of creative names to choose from. After careful thought and heated debate, the staff of South College Library has selected the winning name: O'Skullivan.

Introducing… O'Skullivan!

The winning name was suggested by CBE Doctor of Education student Joshua Anderson. Joshua will receive a $10 Amazon gift card as a reward. Congratulations, Joshua!

Stay tuned for more exciting events and contests sponsored by the South College Library.

What is fake news? Is it malicious—or just lazy? And what can we do to avoid it? Read below to understand this phenomenon and how you can navigate our changing media landscape.

The End of Traditional Publishing

In the past, information came to us through only a few established, official channels, such as the evening news, the local newspaper, or a traditional publishing house. Information transfer through these methods was slow, as each news interview, article, or book passed through multiple hands in the selection, editing, and distribution process. 

By contrast, in today's world of instant communication, information comes to us from an unlimited number of sources. We watch vloggers discuss important topics on TikTok or YouTube, download ebooks directly from the author's webpage, or stream a podcast from our smart phones. Without the traditional publishing process, this information is distributed immediately and often without any oversight. This results in a large amount of misinformation that end users have to sift through on their own.

The Rise of Fake News

While a lot of bad information comes from those with good intentions (but poor quality control), there has also been a rise in malicious actors who spread false information on purpose. They may be doing so for a variety of reasons, from getting people to buy their products to convincing people to vote a different way in an election. Fake news can range from covering a news story in a biased manner to completely inventing information with the intent to influence readers.

SMART Evaluation

As end users of information, what can we do? One helpful tool is the SMART evaluation. While reading, consider the following:

1. Source
   1. Who is the author or publisher? Are they an expert on the topic? What kind of website does this appear on?
2. Motivation
   1. What is the purpose of the information? Is this fact, opinion, or propaganda? Does the information have a political or ideological bias?
3. Accuracy
   1. Is the information supported by evidence with its sources cited? Has the information been reviewed by experts? Can you verify the same information in another source? Is the information free from errors in spelling or grammar?
4. Relevance
   1. Who is the intended audience of this information? 
5. Timeliness
   1. When was this information published or updated? Are the links functional?

Keep these tips in mind when reviewing any new information, especially when researching for your coursework. Check out additional resources below.

For more tips and sources, check out the South College Library's Fact-Checking: How to Guide Research Guide.

Library Resources

After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News 

Publication Date: 2020
An HBO documentary on the consequences of disinformation and fake news in the era of social media.

Useful Websites

• Snopes.com
• PolitiFact
• AllSides: Balanced News from the Left, Center and Right
• FactCheck.org

Did you know that the South College Library provides students, faculty, and staff access to over 100,000 ebooks? October is officially Spooky Season, so let’s get into the spirit with books about the paranormal, occult, and downright scary. 

Spooky Season

Did you know that the Nashville Resource Center is home to a skull? 

No, it's not just for Halloween. Some of our Resource Centers offer hands-on anatomy models for students to use for study. One of our most personable anatomy models is this skull, posing here with Nashville-based Instruction Librarian Dayani Boatman.

Even if you don't have access to this glorious specimen, the South College Library has several excellent digital anatomy tools to help you study from anywhere. 

• AccessMedicine's 3D Human Anatomy Modules 
• AccessPhysiotherapy's Anatomy & Physiology Revealed Tool

Want to learn more and have a chance to win? Read on for the contest details and rules!

Name the Skull Contest Rules

1. Between October 15-31, 2025, visit the Name the Skull contest page.
2. Complete the brief tutorial on the library's digital anatomy resources and answer the required questions.
3. Submit a name for the Nashville Resource Center's skull as well as your name and email address. You may only submit one entry. 

Library staff will vote on the winning name in early November. Stay tuned to the Library Blog to find out who wins!

ENTER NOW

Ashley Hoffman is the Outreach Librarian, based at the Marietta, GA learning site. She has been with South College since August 2025. 

1. Name the question you get asked the most and share your go-to solution. 
   
   “Where are all the books??” is the question I get the most these days. As a newly opened learning site, it’s true that the Marietta Resource Center doesn’t have a lot of books on the shelf (yet), but what people may not realize is that we actually have access to over 100,000 books on our website! You can find all our eBook collections at https://library.south.edu/home/ebooks. 
    
2. Point to one resource you wish students utilized more and why it matters. 
   
   We have an amazing South College Library Blog that has tons of research tips and highlighted resources for students that is published twice a month. There’s tons of great information on it—and even some fun contests that students can participate in!
    
3. What’s one behind-the-scenes task that, if skipped, students would feel tomorrow? 
   
   A “thankless” task that library staff does is wipe down all of our lending laptops with disinfecting wipes between uses. Believe me, once cold and flu season is in full swing, you will thank us for this extra step! 
    
4. What inspired you to seek out a job in libraries? 
   
   I have always loved reading, but beyond that I’ve always loved helping people. I started working part-time at my college’s library while I was in school and I’ve worked for a library ever since. My favorite jobs have been the ones that let me directly put students in touch with the resources they need for their schoolwork. 
    
5. If you could recommend one book that everyone should read, what would it be? 
   
   I’m a science fiction fan, and I’m forever recommending the book The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin to people who love reading but are skeptical about science fiction. This book has such a rich world to explore, such important themes, and such a fascinating “twist” at the end that I could discuss it for days. I’ve successfully converted two people into science fiction readers with this book! 
    
6. Bonus Question: What are your favorite spooky stories? 
   
   I have always loved the short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. The creepiest one to me is “Berenice,” which—to explain it very badly—is all about a man obsessed with his fiancée’s teeth. I’ll let you read the story to find out what I mean.

Did you know that the South College Library offers students, faculty, and staff access to over 100,000 ebooks? This month's theme is Remember September, where we explore themes of nostalgia, memory, and vintage in contemporary culture and society. Start with these books of poetry, history, fashion, and medicine and then dive into the library's ebook collection to find more!

Remember September

The digital environment is like a universe of its own, and those who engage in its territories should educate themselves about its rules and its lack thereof. In this world where people and their ideas interact, it is important to use technology responsibly, respectfully, and critically. Most of us encounter information in its digital form regularly on the internet, in our coursework, jobs, and through social media. Through technology, information is stored and shared. 

Digital Skills

It's important in our modern world to know how to access, use, and produce digital information. While digital literacy encompasses basic technology skills, it's much more than that. Consuming and producing digital information effectively requires one to have critical thinking, communication, and relationship skills too. 

Here are the digital skills that Forbes Magazine (Marr, 2022) says that we need to participate in the digital world: 

• Keeping on top of emerging new technologies 
• Understanding what tech is available and how it can be used 
• Using digital devices, software, and applications – at work, in educational settings, and in our everyday lives 
• Communicating, collaborating, and sharing information with other people using digital tools 
• Staying safe and secure in a digital environment

Privacy and Security

Lots of information about our lives is stored in the form of digital information and is vulnerable to being accessed and shared by people who don't have permission to access it.  Some of this permissionless access is inadvertent while other access is intentional and malicious. As our digital footprints have expanded and our use of technology grows, it becomes increasingly important to learn how to protect our personal information. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize our risks and to maximize our security in the digital realm.

Here are some tips (Wamsley, 2020):

1. Minimize the amount of information you share and have stored online
2. Make sure that you have strong passwords
3. Don't click on links in texts or emails that come from "weird domains"
4. Change your privacy settings
5. Download security updates
6. Use encrypted apps for messaging

Check out the South College Library's Information Literacy Research Guide to learn more about increasing your digital literacy.

Featured Library Resources

Digital Keywords: A Vocabulary of Information Society and Culture by Benjamin Peters

Publication Date: 2018
Digital Keywords gathers pointed, provocative short essays on more than two dozen keywords by leading and rising digital media scholars from the areas of anthropology, digital humanities, history, political science, philosophy, religious studies, rhetoric, science and technology studies, and sociology. Digital Keywords examines and critiques the rich lexicon animating the emerging field of digital studies.

Paradoxes of Media and Information Literacy : The Crisis of Information by Jutta Haider and Olof Sundin

Publication Date: 2022
Haider and Sundin question what we accept as truth, fact, and knowledge—and how those ideas shape our ability to write, think, and communicate. In an age of information overload, this book digs into what it really means to be media literate and explores how power, perception, and literacy interact in the digital age.