Learning Commons News & Events

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the Learning Commons reminds you to prioritize your mental health by utilizing resources in the LC and beyond. You can start by: 

• Browsing our Wellness Guide to find resources that promote how to nurture and maintain good mental health.  
• Familiarizing yourself with national hotline numbers designed to connect individuals with assistance.  Many of these resources offer call, text, or online chat support.
  • Others include:
    • Call BlackLine 1-800-604-5841: provides a space for peer support, counseling, and reporting of mistreatment for those impacted by systemic oppression—BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities.
    • Caregiver Help Desk 855-227-3640: offers free support to family caregivers, staffed by experts, who can help support you on your caregiving journey.  
    • Exhale Pro-Voice 617-749-2948: offers nonjudgmental after-abortion support and counseling.  
    • Farm-Aid Hotline 1-800-327-6243: offers mental health support and resources assistance to farmers and those in the agricultural industry.
    • Naseeha 1-866-627-3342: specifically designed to address the unique mental health challenges faced by Muslims (non-Muslims are welcome to call).
• Reading New York Times Bestseller The Body Keeps the Score. This book teaches readers about the physical and emotional effects of trauma and how to reclaim their well-being.  
• Signing up for free online therapy sessions through BetterMynd.

SKYCTC has partnered with BetterMynd to provide students with free 50-minute online therapy sessions with licensed mental health professionals. These confidential sessions can take place from your phone, laptop, or tablet. Teletherapy sessions are available during the day, at night, and on weekends, so you can get support whenever it's best for you. Students start with 4 free sessions and can email skyctc-bettermynds@kctcs.edu for more session credits.  

How Do I Register for BetterMynd?

1. Start here and click “sign up” in the top right corner.
2. Sign up using your KCTCS email.
3. Open your email from BetterMynd and click “Link to email address verification.
4. Choose “Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College” as your campus.
5. Accept the terms and conditions.
6. Answer the questionnaire to help match you with a counselor.
7. You will be asked to answer some potentially sensitive questions, but your answers will be kept confidential. 
8. Select a counselor from the ones you matched with or look through all of the counselors to find the best fit for you.
9. Schedule a virtual session for a time that works for you.      

Are you looking for a new hobby to sustain you through the lazy, hazy days of summer? Have you found yourself interested in learning about your family’s story? Would you like to know the origins of your last name? Or if a relative served in a major war? Have you wondered if photos of your great-grandparents exist? 

If so, the Learning Commons has great news to share! 

Thanks to the Kentucky Virtual Library, SKYCTC Learning Commons is offering our campus community free access to Ancestry.com, the world’s most popular online genealogy resource that gives you the ability to look through census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and other places around the world. To access Ancestry.com through our KYVL partnership, visit the SKYCTC Learning Commons home page. Once there, scroll down to select “Databases.” From there, search under the letter “A” for “Ancestry Library Edition.”  

If you need assistance navigating our databases, please reach out to a librarian using our Ask! page.  

Summer Hours Starting May 12^th, 2025 at the Learning Commons:

Monday - Thursday: 7:00am - 5:00pm

Friday: CLOSED

Holiday Weeks Exceptions:

• CLOSED Monday, May 26^th, 2025 (Memorial Day)
• CLOSED Thursday, June 19^th, 2025 (Juneteenth)

During those weeks, the Learning Commons hours will shift to:

Monday – Friday 7:30am – 4:00pm

Fridays During Holiday Weeks: Virtual Services ONLY

Explore our new A – Z Databases list at the SKYCTC Learning Commons! Find featured databases like:  

• Gale Academic OneFile – our full-text, multidisciplinary database, includes the New York Times 
• EBSCOhost Academic Search Complete – our most popular multidisciplinary scholarly database 
• Academic Video Online – our main resource for streaming video documentaries 
• Credo Reference – our e-reference database for background information 
• Ebook Central – our largest collection of eBooks 
• Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context – for your scholarly research and argumentative essays or speeches.  

With papers and other assignments due soon, check out these databases for your research. Need help? Visit our Ask! page to ask a librarian! 

Finals can be tough,  but you’re not alone! Come relax and recharge at our Study Break Event from Monday, April 28 to Tuesday, May 6 in the Learning Commons. We’ve got a whole week of fun and stress-free activities to help you feel better and stay focused!

What’s Going On?

🍎 Free Snacks – Grab a bite while supplies last!
🎶 Live Music – Monday, April 29 | 12–1 PM
🎲 Board Games with Ryan – Wednesday, April 30 | 12–1 PM
➖ Walk-In Math Tutoring – Wednesday, April 30 | 12:30–2:30 PM
🎶 Crystal Bowl Sound Experience – Tuesday, May 6 | 12:30–1 PM | Social Staircase, Building L

🎨 Coloring Contest – Get creative and win a Starbucks gift card!
🧩 Group Puzzle – Chill with us in Room 113
🍬 Peppermints for Focus – A tasty brain boost!

💆‍♂️ Need more ways to relax?
Check out our Wellness Guide, or reserve a quiet study room in the Learning Commons.
💡 Got questions? Visit our Ask! page to schedule an appointment with a tutor or librarian.

🎯Finals can be tough, but you’re tougher. Take care of yourself, and good luck! 💪📖

Check out our Research Guides to find subject-specific library resources to help you with your research assignments. Get free access to online databases for eBooks, articles, newspapers, media, and more. We have a Research Guide for all subjects taught at SKYCTC including English, First Year Experience (FYE), CIT 105, Communication, and Sociology, as well as Medical Laboratory Technician, Hospitality, Computerized Manufacturing & Machining, Fire/Rescue, Physics, Economics, and more! Go to our Ask! page to schedule an appointment with a Librarian for help navigating the Research Guides and library resources!