Due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning away from the sun on Saturday, December 21st, causing the longest night of the year. Night is when we can see stars. If we are in a location with little light pollution, we can see more stars as well as the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way, which stretches across the sky like a blurry (milky) band and is made up of stars, gas, and dust.
Our relationship with night is often spent sleeping and dreaming, as dictated by our circadian rhythms. Though, millions of workers labor during evening and "graveyard" shifts, some of which contribute to running the world's nightlife.
This blog post shares an eclectic mix of Armacost Library resources on night, sleep, and dreaming.
Histories of Night
At day's close: Night in times past; Book in General Collection: HN8 .E48 2006
Evening's empire: A history of the night in early modern Europe; Book in General Collection: GT3408 .K67 2011
The Stars
The Stars we know: Crow Indian astronomy and lifeways; Book in General Collection: E99.C92 M25 2012
Stars above, earth below: A guide to astronomy in the national parks; Book in General Collection QB44.3 .N67 2010
Sleep
Dreaming
Dreams and nightmares: The new theory on the origin and meaning of dreams; Book in General Collection BF1091 .H365 1998
Dreams & visions in the world of Islam: A history of Muslim dreaming and foreknowing; Book in General Collection BP190.5.D73 S587 2015
The new science of dreaming; Book in General Collection BF1078 .N454 2007 v.1-3
Night work
Night labor: A factory worker prepares for the day; Documentary streaming on Kanopy
Nightshift NYC; An online book
Working the night shift: Women in India's call center industry; Book in General Collection HD6189 .P375 2010
