Armacost Library News: World Book Night 2013: The Gift of Books.
WBN 2013
I signed up as a book-giver again this year. And I signed up Armacost Library at University of Redlands as a pick-up location for WBN 2013. The link above is the brief post I wrote about my library’s tiny book-giver reception.
World Book Night-US 2013 is next week, Tuesday, April 23.
It’s a Book by Lane Smith. Via Good Reads.
Armacost Library News: Sharing the Joy of Reading Through Read Across America.
Read.
Lane Smith’s It’s a Book trailer on YouTube.
Watch.
<3 John Scalzi.
Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys
Yesterday afternoon we had the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf Opening Reception. I planned it as a 2-hour catered affair, inviting people from the University of Redlands community, the City of Redlands, and our initiative’s community partner, Peace Academy. It was a small, low-key, intimate, and relaxed event.
This Opening Reception sets the stage for all the other events we will be providing based on the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf. Coming up: a film showing and facilitated discussion of the documentary Prince Among Slaves with Dr. Patrick Wing, professor of history at University of Redlands. We will hold the first film showing at University of Redlands, then we will hold another film showing at Peace Academy.
Here are a few images from yesterday’s event.
Muslim Journeys Bookshelf Opening Reception: Mingling
Muslim Journeys Bookshelf Opening Reception: Mingling & Refreshments
Muslim Journeys Bookshelf Opening Reception: More Mingling
Goodreads | A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut – Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists.
A Man Without a Country is where Kurt Vonnegut wrote
Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country
Sherman Alexie at University of Redlands, February 5, 2013
This topic is not the original intent I had for this blog post. I’ve been sitting on this draft for about a week now. I had wanted to talk about the movie Super 8, which I rewatched with my family after I returned from ALAMW13. I was inspired by the catchy line delivered by the 2011 movie’s protagonist Joe Lamb. I thought it held a significant idea encapsulated in a compact info-package worthy of a blog post. But I had trouble putting my thoughts together in a coherent enough manner.
Then, last night, I heard Sherman Alexie speak at University of Redlands. My first time to hear him in person. Things fell into place in my head. He delivered the same message as Joe Lamb: “Bad things happen. But you can still live.” Not the same words. But similar idea and spirit. The injustice and suffering we experience need not be for nothing. The anger we harbor can fuel our artistic, creative, and aesthetic endeavors. And by living I mean feeding and growing one’s soul through art and creative work: writing, painting, drawing, dancing, or performing.
Alexie spoke of the grinding poverty he knew as a child growing up on an Indian reservation in the Spokane, Washington area. When you are dirt poor, he said, your basic hungers for food, shelter, safety, and physical comforts become one with your spiritual and emotional hungers. Basically, that’s nice, dear. But it doesn’t fill my belly. What do you do when that’s your reality?
For Sherman, the answer was he had to get out of the rez. The consequences of his decision to leave were not (are not) easy to bear. There was the challenging question: “You think you’re better than us?” Wait, don’t answer that. Whether you think so or not, it doesn’t really matter. It’s a trick question. You’re damned either way. Then there’s the biting, corrosive self-loathing. So, in sum, you get beat up or ostracized by others because they think you’re full of yourself, then you beat yourself up because you think you’re a colossal idiot for wanting more out of life. And yeah, you are full of yourself because you’re full of shizz. Oh, joy. What writer, what artist or creative person, does not know this old familiar tune?
So we crack jokes and tell stories. We laugh. We do this so we can go on and keep on living. So, live.
how a book is born (because you kids love the infographics) | Weldon Owen.
How a Book is Born
BDWB13 @ University of Redlands
Yesterday was my turn to work reference. It was a Saturday, so my obligation is a slight disruption to my routine of family time and personal errands. Yesterday, however, was special. Not only was it Groundhog Day, I oversaw the book wrapping for Blind Date With a Book 2013 (BDWB13). Our first time doing this particular campaign. Thanks to volunteers from Sigma Tau Delta’s membership, I didn’t have to do the wrapping of books and DVDs. And we still ended up with 46 wrapped and ready items with catchy descriptions and attractive decorations.
We hit a few snags that were dismaying, such as the last-minute problem of temporary barcodes becoming non-functional all of a sudden (until it dawned on me that I needed a beginning and ending digit that weren’t showing up with the circulation desk scanners. Thankfully I had my own scanner that showed the difference! It just took me a good long while to notice.). Another was a few missing temporary barcodes that failed to print. Yet another is the mirror image printing that flipped some text backwards on the fliers and tent cards. All were solved. No small thanks to the calm and methodical thinking of my husband, Peter Dow. He’s a calming influence on my fiery temperament.
BDWB13 @ UofR: Just some of the Blind Dates
All problems solved. All systems are go. We’re now ready for Monday, February 4, 2013, the beginning of the BDWB13 campaign at University of Redlands Armacost Library. To think, BDWB13 wasn’t conceived of till January 27, 2013. Just a week to plan and execute it all! And I was able to get a few emails out on behalf of Muslim Journeys, too.
This was fun! Loads of work, worry, and time, sure. But, oh, how satisfying and lovely! Nothing makes my heart pump harder than sharing my love for libraries and community engagement. Now, I must get back to the business of writing, thinking, and planning on behalf of other projects.
If you’re a University of Redlands community member with current borrowing privileges at Armacost Library, please come see our Blind Dates. Maybe even take one home with you.
World Book Night US 2013
Application deadline is this Friday, January 25! Just 3 days away! Be sure to submit an application. Groups can now send a single application. Guidelines for individuals and groups are available online.
If you are in my area, you can pick up your WBN books at Armacost Library, University of Redlands. We should have WBN books available for pick-up starting the week of April 15, 2013.
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